Page 100 of Savagely Scarred

I wait on the balcony for her, leaning against the railing. The mountains are sparce with foliage other than the evergreen trees. It’s a few weeks too early for anything to start blooming. It’s probably beautiful here in the fall. We will have to come back one day.

Both of our birthdays are in March, and I wanted to celebrate together this year. I wanted to get her away from the city. Away from the noise. Let her just breathe. Even if it's only for two days.

The sliding glass door opens and I spin around. Liv walks out into the chilly night air in her blue bikini, her nipples hardening through the fabric. I trace my bottom lip with my tongue and slowly slide my gaze up her body. My cock twitches in my swim trunks.

I help her get in the bubbling hot tub and slip in after her. She tries to sit across from me, but I grab her waist and haul her onto my lap. Her laugh echoes around us and she wiggles her ass on my growing erection.

Groaning, I spin her around so she’s straddling me. She plays with my hair and bites her bottom lip, grinning wildly. Water droplets slide down my face as I stare into her eyes.

“Let’s run away.”

She freezes. “What?” she laughs.

Her grin drops when she sees I’m not smiling.

“You’re serious?”

“Another country. An island. A tribe in Africa. I don’t care. Somewhere he can’t find you and you don’t have to be paranoid anymore.”

Liv places her hands gently on my face. “Sage.” Her eyes bounce between mine. “He would follow me to the ends of the earth. Just like you would burn it down for me. Neither one of you would give up.”

She kisses my lips, my nose, and my forehead before looking at me again. “I’m not running from him anymore.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. “Then we stay,” I whisper and grab the back of her head to pull her in for a kiss.

We’ll stay.

And I’ll fight for her salvation.

My chest constricts when I walk into her room and see her lying in the hospital bed. Her heart rate beeps steadily on the monitor as I approach her. Wires and tubes run in every direction around her body. Some for vitals. Some for fluids and oxygen.

She looks so small in this bed. Her face is pale but still has more color than when I last saw her. I place her limp hand in mine and gently squeeze, rubbing my thumb back and forth.

I should feel relieved seeing her.

But I still feel like I lost her.

Curiosity gets the best of me, and I slowly pull the blanket down to her waist. My throat tightens when I lift her hospital gown. Right next to her lotus tattoo, are rows of stitches. The skin around them is angry and red. My gaze drifts lower and tears sting the backs of my eyes before I lower the gown again and cover her back up.

The doctor was unsure of how long it would take her to wake up. Every minute without her chipped away at the gaping wound in my chest until it felt like a crater.

I grab the chair in the corner of the room and place it next to her bed. Once I’m seated, I rest my hand on her lower stomach and lay my head on her thigh.

“I hope you have her eyes,” I mutter to the life growing inside of her.

“On second thought, I don’t. I’m already going to have to keep the boys away from you.”

I smile for the first time since yesterday.

“You’re going to be stubborn just like her too, I bet.” I trace circles around Liv’s belly button. “Ohhh, but you’re going to be fierce too. And so brave, little one.” I sigh and relax my hand again. “Did you know she refused to date me? I had to wear her down.”

“Is that how you remember it?”

I jerk upright to see Liv's crooked smile, eyes flinching against the harsh lights.

“Fuck, baby,” I choke out and stumble from the chair to stand. I grab her face and kiss her. It’s only when I feel the warmth between our cheeks that I realize I’m crying.

“I thought I lost you,” I whisper against her lips, “both of you.”