A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth, but a stinging sensation from my bruised lip has me stopping. Still, hearing Jase crack a joke has never sounded so good before.
When he begins to pull away from me, my right hand darts up, and I grab hold of his shirt. “Just a moment longer.”
His arms tighten around me again, and my eyes drift shut from the relief I feel.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” he whispers.
Quickly, I shake my head. I never want to talk about it. I just want to forget it ever happened.
This time when Jase pulls back, I force myself to let go of him, knowing I can’t keep clinging to him.
Jase brings his hand to my face and gently brushes his thumb over my jaw. My eyes lift to his, and when I see how tight his features are with something akin to rage, I ask, “Do I look that bad?”
His eyes meet mine, and then the corner of his mouth lifts. He keeps staring at me until I feel a flutter of something familiar.
Love.
“You’ll always be beautiful to me, Mila.”
It’s not his words that get to me, but the tone of his voice. It’s like a cleansing rain shower on my dirtied soul. It washes some of the stains away, and for a moment, my world is not quite so dark.JASEMy gaze drifts over her face, taking in the dark bruises around her left eye all the way down to her jaw, where the swelling looks painfully feverish.
Jade must’ve packed Mila’s clothes because she’s wearing her own sweatpants and t-shirt.
Every couple of seconds, I’m lulled into a false sense of peacefulness, but then it vanishes, and the chaos inside me returns like a destructive tornado.
I see the same emotions flashing over Mila’s features. One moment she seems calm, and the next, panic and fear darken her eyes.
I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. I’m stumbling around in the dark, but the need to make everything better for Mila has me asking, “What can I do to help?”
Her eyes lower to her hand on her lap. “You’ve already done so much, Jase. I just need time. I’m sure everything will be back to normal soon.”
Her words are a total contradiction to her body language. Her shoulders are hunched forward, and she still hasn’t moved her left arm from where it’s wrapped around her waist.
Fear fucking radiates off of her, and it makes me inch a little closer. I move slowly as I reach for her, and when she doesn’t flinch away, I wrap my arm around her and pull her back against my chest. I feel the tension ease from her shoulders as she leans against me, and when she lets out a breath as if she’s been holding it for hours, I tighten my hold on her.
“I’m not going anywhere. If you need me to hold you until you feel safe again, then I’ll hold you for as long as it takes.”
Mila shakes her head, and pressing her forehead against my shoulder, she whispers, “This thing has disrupted everyone’s lives enough.”
My stubborn girl.
The thought makes the corner of my mouth lift slightly.
“Okay, then I’ll just hold you because I need to. Deal?”
Mila lifts her head, and pulling back, she looks up at me. A frown mars her forehead, and there’s a flash of heartache on her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think of how you must feel.” She places her hand against my chest, concern tightening her features. “Are you okay?”
How do I answer that question? I’m not okay because she’s not okay.
Knowing I can’t say that to Mila, I smile at her. “I’m fine, Mila. I just need to be here for you. Will you let me do that?”
Her eyes start to shine, and her chin quivers, and it has me leaning into her until our foreheads touch. When she nods, I let out a breath of relief.
I pull back and press my lips to her forehead. My eyes drift shut, and I can’t bring myself to pull away yet.
The door behind us opens, and glancing over my shoulder, I see Mr. West come into the room, followed by a policewoman and a doctor.
I begin to get up from the bed, and my moving out of the way has Mila’s eyes falling on the two women. I watch as Mila’s whole body shrinks while she slowly sucks in a deep breath. Pain flashes over her face, and then she starts to shake her head. “No.” Her breaths are shallow as they rush over her lips while she struggles to climb off the bed.
The doctor immediately stops walking. “Miss West, I’m Doctor Kelly Bower. I’m one of the psychologists here at Ojay Valley Memorial.”
Mila frantically glances at the window as if she’s actually considering using it as an exit. I rush around the bed, and the instant I take hold of her shoulder, she darts forward and slams into my chest. Feeling Mila cower against me strips me of the last of my restraint.