Page 42 of Savage Salvation

“Don’t even, Gage. This wasn’t a professional call. Just keep an eye on her, and please call me if anything changes.” Nicole does a quick glance around, more than likely surveying the damage I’ve caused out here. And this looks great on the surface compared to what I’m feeling on the inside.

“Sure thing,” I reply, hoping I don’t have to. I’m grateful that I have some sort of backup in case Kinsley isn’t all right, though. Just before Nicole is about to walk out of the room, I call her name as she looks back to me. “Thank you.”

She gives me a warm smile before disappearing out of the room. I need to listen to Hayden and call Walter. But my fucking lawyer is not who I want to talk to right now. Instead, my feet move in Kinsley’s direction. I need to see her. The last time I saw her she was still crying when Nicole arrived. I know she was doing her best to help Kinsley, to protect her, make sure she was okay, but I hated that she pushed me out of the room, I just wanted to be there with her.

Stopping in front of the door, I give a soft knock before turning the knob and pushing the door open. I should wait for her to invite me in. But I need in. And if she doesn’t allow me in, I’ll break. I’ll walk out of here. Find the bastard who put her in this situation and choke every bit of life out of his pathetic body.

And once I see her, it takes every bit of strength I have not to find him right this second and put an end to his miserable existence. Only, there’s no way I can walk away from her. Not after taking her in. Her back is pressed against the headboard, her knees pulled up to her chest, damp hair falls around her face that’s tucked between her knees. Her shaking shoulders telling me what I don’t have to ask. She’s crying. It’s a soft sob, but she’s still breaking and there’s no fucking way I can walk away from her, even if I should.

Not now.

Not ever.

31

Kinsley

Nicole left. Closed the door behind her. And once I hear it open, I know it’s not her. It’s Gage. But I can’t look at him. I can’t let him see me like this, even though he’s just seen me in the worst moment of my life.

The bed slightly shifts beside me. My muscles automatically tense but not from his presence. He said I was safe. I believed him in that moment, and I believe him now. I just don’t know where to go from here, so I remain silent as a hand lightly strokes up my back.

His strained whisper matches the torment in my mind. “I don’t know what to do, Kinsley. Tell me how to fix this.”

“You can’t,” I whisper the harsh reality that we’ve both accepted. But I have to say it. “Thank you. Thank you for stopping him.”

“I should’ve gotten there sooner. You never should’ve been there.” His steady arm loops behind my back as I shift into him, burying my face against his chest, hiding my eyes as he pulls me onto his lap. There’s a heavy yet comforting silence that engulfs the room as I sob, Gage’s reassuring hand stroking up my back, my fingers clinging to his T-shirt. The thought of him covering me with his shirt causes me to cry more. How did the boy who caused me such pain end up being the one to shield me in one of my weakest moments? And why do I fear that after the dust settles he’ll use it to break me?

* * *

My eyes drag open slowly, searching around the room. I don’t have to wonder where I am. I’m still wrapped up in his powerful arms, his comforting scent surrounding me, his secure embrace engulfing me. How can he make me feel safer and weaker at the same time?

I move to slide off the bed but his hold on me tightens as I look over and find his intense eyes watching me.

“Don’t leave,” he whispers, pulling me closer.

“I wasn’t. But I should.”

“No. Please. Just stay here. We’ll skip classes today so you can take it easy.”

“And not face him,” I add, knowing that’s part of it too. I’m not ready to see the bastard yet. More times than I can count, I’ve had the urge to cut his throat with the knife he held to mine, or the very least, cut his dick off.

“He won’t ever get near you again. I swear it.”

I pull away from him, my body aching as I sit on the edge of the bed, grabbing my phone. I only wanted to see the time, but I see the unread messages and have to open them.

“He says if I don’t tell, he won’t either.”

“Bullshit. You should report his ass.”

“There’s no point. Danielle and Steve would have him off the hook in no time. Everyone gets away with everything.”

I scroll through his other messages, and it details something that I don’t want to believe but I know to be real. “Is it true? The bet?”

His body tenses behind me as he says, “Yes.”

“You bet him your car that you could screw me.” My mind runs over scattered moments of late, mainly Gage pursuing me. My anger rises. “A fucking car. You held me with the same regard as a car? Like I’m a shiny, expendable possession. Then you take one for the team and screw me, but you still lose the bet. Damn, that’s a tough break.”

“I didn’t lose.” His tone is strained as his hand lightly brushes up my back as I look over my shoulder to him, his hand rises to cup my cheek.