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“Shit! Will you calm down?” I snapped, shoving down the panic that rose in my chest. “If I call the doc to meet us at the house, will you stop the waterworks?”
“Yes!” he sobbed.
I groaned. “Okay, okay, here.” I shakily took out my phone and dialed Melony before I passed it to Ash. “Just ask her to meet us at the house with her bag. That’s all you need to say. I gotta focus on driving.”
Ash nodded, but the tears didn’t stop. Whatever had made him curl up into a feeble little ball was still affecting him. It shocked me. Since the night we met, he hadn’t cried. I expected that stupid smile, but it was nowhere to be seen. Glancing over, I wanted to drag him back into my arms and throw my body over his, ask him what was wrong, and then tear the throat out of anyone who hurt him with my teeth.
Instead, I shoved my body further into the leather seat and started the car. My knuckles started to throb, the burning setting in as I turned the corner and headed for home. Fingertips touched my leg. I looked over again.
Ash stared at me, those big, brown eyes staring into my soul as my phone stayed pressed against his ear. Something in me stirred. I tried to shove it down, but I couldn’t. I wanted to pull Ash into my arms, hold him close, and never let him go until the impending weight of panic disappeared.
I have to take care of him first. Something fucked him up. I’ll focus on that.
Thinking about Ash pushed my panic behind a wall. I could breathe and think as I drove back to our place.
Our place? What the fuck?My hand throbbed too badly, my heart racing too quickly to figure out why the word our had even entered my thoughts.
“Hi, I’m calling for Giancarlo Vitale. He wants you to meet us at his house.” He swallowed hard. “Bring your bag.”
“Don’t you start sobbing,” I warned him.
Ash’s eyes watered more. “I can’t help it! Please, hurry,” he begged.
I groaned. The amount of emotion in Ash’s voice was a red flag. If I knew Melony, and I knew that goddamn woman well, she would call my brothers. I would be lucky if just Enzo showed up. Even that wasn’t really luck, though. I didn’t need my brothers hovering over me as I got my knuckles sewn up.
And a shot. You know there’s going to be a shot involved.
I shivered. I hated the hell out of needles. As I glanced over at Ash, I laid my messed-up hand on top of his and squeezed, ignoring the rush of blood that gushed out and poured over our joined fingers.
Worth it.
I paced backand forth as we waited for the doctor to arrive. Maybe I should have told him to go to the hospital instead.
“Sit down, Ash,” Giancarlo ordered.
I plopped down next to him, my knee bouncing as I stole glances at the door. “What’s taking her so long?”
Giancarlo rolled his shoulders back. There was something wrong with him, a tightness around his smile, and he kept clearing his throat.
“Will you calm down already? She’s on her way.” When I continued to bounce my leg nervously, he sighed. “I’m fine.”
“Let me see.” I grabbed at his wrist and pulled his hand close. More blood gushed out, but it had slowed a bit. “I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. You’ve got to learn to apologize only when you’ve actually done shit.”
I had done shit, though. Giancarlo was hurt because of me. I couldn’t hold it together; fuck, I was a mess. My father had worked hard to make sure I was worth being sold, that I was profitable, and all I was doing was fucking up.
“Hey.” Giancarlo grabbed my chin until I was forced to meet his dark brown eyes. “Enough. If you’re really sorry, I know of better ways you can make it up to me instead of crying.”
“I’m not crying anymore,” I sniffled.
“It’s the small miracles in life.” He hadn’t let me go, and I found I was glad about it. His touch was the only thing holding me together.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d lost it like that. My heart was still racing, and my eyes burned from how much I’d cried.
I need to be better.
Giancarlo had spent his hard-earned money on me, and he was even giving me the chance to pay it all off. Crying and losing my shit wasn’t the answer. Like he said, he could get sex anywhere, but I didn’t want that.
