Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 38978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Something felt different. There was, I don't know, something settling. Until I remembered our walk. Panic threatened to consume me, and I struggled my way out of sleep with a whimper.
"Sssh, I've got you; it's okay."
Gage, he was here, he hadn't left me, what had happened? The last thing I remember was him walking away from me and the searing pain that ripped through my body, not just my heart; my whole being seemed to quake.
Was I dreaming? Was this a dream? If it is, please don't let me wake up, it felt so good to be in his arms again. I felt warm tears fill my eyes. I missed him so much, missed us so much; how do I get us back? I knew I had a fight on my hands if only I knew where to begin.
"Please, please, please."
"Please, what butterfly?" She started as if surprised she'd spoken out loud. I was looking down at her when she raised her tear-filled eyes to me. Without thought, I kissed her drenched eyes with trembling lips.
Her body shook, and I thought she was having another one of those fucking attacks, but she was just taking a deep breath.
I lifted her hand to my lips and, for the first time, noticed how dirty they were. Looks like my girl needed a bath.
I made to pull away, but she grabbed on to me for dear life.
"I'm not leaving you, Suzette. I'm just going to run you a bath." I had to unclasp her hands from my shirt. Her hold was so tight.
Going into the en suite, I ran the water as hot as she could stand it while scouring the cabinets for girly-smelling shit. Not for nothing, but my girl really needed a bath, and that hoodie needed to be cleaned yesterday. It kind of made me smile to know that she needed that little piece of me. Bitch Ass.
When the water was ready, I went back to get her; she was lying in the same position. Poor thing didn't seem to be in any condition to do shit, so I undressed her myself without a peep from her. Well, damn butterfly, had you eaten anything in the last week? Shit, maybe dad ought to have a look at her; this couldn't be healthy; I could damn near count every bone in her body. What the fuck had she done to herself? No lie, I wanted to cry like a little bitch, just saying.
My girl was fucking skin and bones. It was one thing to feel the weight loss through the bulky hoodie and sweats, but quite another to see it up close and personal; I was going to have to work on her body and her mind. Fuck how was I gonna do this shit? Well, first things first, a bath.
I picked her up and carried her into the bathroom, laying her gently in the tub. She sunk like a lodestone, no strength whatsoever. I didn't even stop to think, just shed my own clothes and got in behind her. I washed her body first, saving her hair for last. All this time, she hadn't said a word, and her body was still somewhat tense, so I did the one thing I knew would soothe her. I sang; the words of Kenny Rogers through the years fell from my lips as I washed her.
I am officially the sappiest motherfucker on the planet, but at least my girl had life in her eyes again.
CHAPTER 28
We stayed in the tub for a long, long time; I think I emptied and refilled it three times. I washed her hair before making her stand in the shower to rinse; she was still so weak I had to prop her against my chest to hold her up while I took care of her. I hadn't quite thought this shit through because neither of us had any clean clothes, and whereas I could jump back in my cargo pants, her clothes were another story.
I found a robe for her and, without stopping to think too much about it, took her up the stairs to my private rooms. If we were going to do this, we were going to need all the alone time we could get. I was sure my family was just being polite by leaving us alone for now, but fuck knows how long that shit would last.
After sitting her on the lounger, I sent off a rapid text to Tiffany asking her to get Suzette some stuff; she would know what to get; she'd dragged poor Butterfly off shopping against her will more times than I could count. My sister is a clotheshorse, just saying.
I needed to go see about some food but didn't want to leave her, so I did the next best thing.