He doesn’t even hesitate in answering me. “I’m going to kill him. He’s going to die the most painful death anyone can ever have and he’s going to know that he doesn’t touch what is mine.”
“Just be careful,” I beg, I’m so tired, and my body is sinking further into the bed. “Thank you.”
“Princess, why are you thanking me?”
“For saving me.” It comes out slurred but the way his hand tightens around mine tells me that he heard me.
“Always, Mia. I’ll always save you.” It’s the last thing I hear before I fall back to sleep.
I wake to a dry mouth, I need some water. My right eye opens and I’m surprised, I didn’t think I’d be able to open it. Hudson said they were swollen. Turning to look to my left, I see Hudson sitting on the chair, his eyes closed. His chest rising and falling slowly as he sleeps, I just watch him as he does, he looks so peaceful. I never got to see him this at ease before, I like it.
“I can feel you staring at me,” he says as his lips lift at the side.
I blush, embarrassed that I’ve been caught staring at him. “You look so peaceful. You’re always so serious, so tense. I haven’t seen you look so peaceful.”
His eyes open at my words. “I’m finally able to sleep. I hadn’t slept in over three weeks.” I know that he means he didn’t sleep while I was taken. “You’ve opened your eye. How does it feel?”
I shrug. “It’s not too bad. Why are you sleeping here? You should go home and get some rest.”
He gives me a get real look. “Not going to happen. As soon as you’re able, I’m bringing you home.”
I smile. “I can’t wait.” Going home with him is all that I want. I’ve been so stupid. “I’m sorry.”
He takes my hand and gives it a tight squeeze. “Why are you sorry?”
“I should have spoken to you. Instead I left, I let what my mom told me, get to me. I was so hurt, you never told me about that side to you. You made me fall in love with a person I didn't know. I felt betrayed, Hudson so I left. I shouldn't have. If I hadn't, Lacey would still be alive. That man wouldn't have done those awful things to me. I'm sorry,” I whisper the last part, still not wanting to talk about what he did to me. I don’t think I’ll ever want to talk about it.
He shakes his head, his eyes narrowed. “No princess don't apologize. I never told you because I wanted you to get to know me. The real me, not the man who is the boss. I wanted you to know Hudson, not the Kingpin. I thought if you got to know me you would understand the other part of me. You would know that it's not all who I am.”
He doesn’t get it. “Don't you see, Hudson? With you not telling me, you hurt me more than if you had told me. I would have understood... maybe not understood, I would have been mad. But I wouldn't have walked away, I would have spoken to you, we would have talked it through until I understood a bit more about you. Instead my mom told me. Everything I believed to be true was dashed with just one sentence. You are a killer. You have killed people. That's what I couldn't wrap my head around. Someone who is so sweet to me, who cares so much about me, more than anyone has shown me in a very long time. You made me feel so special, so wanted, so loved. To think that man could be so cruel, to take someone's life? I just couldn't fathom it.”
He was silent for a second, he rakes his eyes over my face, almost as if he’s searching for answers. “What about now? Where does this leave us?”
He’s worried that I’m ending things. That’s not at all how this is going. “Being away from you, being held in that place.” I shake my head, “Watching my best friend die, holding her in my arms she took her last breath, having that man do that to me.” I swallow hard as tears form in my eyes. “It made me realize something, that no matter what, I love you.”
“Fuck, Mia!” he gasps and kisses my hand. “I don't know what I did to deserve your love. I love you too and I'm never going to let you go.”
I give him a smile. “You are all I thought about, you were my solace. You were my escape. Thinking about you, and the way you’d hold me whenever we were together. I’d remember the way you’d look at me as if I walked on water. The way your fingers would trail along my skin when we spoke. You were the reason I was sane. You found me, Hudson, you took me out of that nightmare.” I will never be able to express my gratitude to him. He took me from the depths of hell.
“It wasn’t quick enough, but I'll always find you, Baby. Always.” He promises me.
“When can I go home?” I've been here long enough, I just want to go home. Although I don’t think I have a home anymore. I don't know if I'll be able to go back there, back to the house where my dad was. Where I grew up, the only place that held special memories of my father. Right now it holds so many bad memories.
His eyes light up, those brown eyes of his so big. “The Doctor said that as soon as you're better you can come home. I’ll talk to her again and see if we can get you home tonight you've been through enough I think coming home with me will be the best thing.”
“How do you know that I was coming home with you?” I quip.
“No matter where you go, I'm coming with you. With the way things are right now. I’d prefer it if you would stay with me,” he says softly. “I need to have you somewhere close. Somewhere I can keep an eye on you, not because I don't trust you but because I love you. I need to make sure you are safe and right now Mia I can't guarantee your safety. There is someone out there who wants to hurt me, and them doing so is to hurt you. I won’t let that happen, not again. I’m going to kill them. I’m going to make them pay for everything they have done to you and to Lacey.” His voice tight with anger, I believe every word he’s saying. I know that he won’t stop until he finds out who has done this.
“Hudson, wherever you go I'm coming with you. I can't be away from you anymore. I love you.” It's that simple, yes he has done bad things. Hell, he’ll probably keep doing them, but I love him and he loves me and that's all that matters to me. If there is some way that I can stop him from killing, I will. But I will not stop him from being the man he is, the man I love, the man that has shown me time and time again that he loves me too.
“God, it’s so good to hear you say that. My ultimate goal is to keep you safe, and I may go about it a bit heavy, I may come across brash and angry, but Mia your safety is all that matters to me.” He stands up, his hands cupping my face. His eyes locked on mine. “You have been hurt, God in ways that no man should ever hurt a woman. And knowing that it happened because of me. It fucking kills me to know that you have been through, to know what some bastard has put you through.” He shakes his head, his eyes gleam with unshed tears, it hurts me seeing him like this. My brave, amazing man is hurting and there’s nothing I can do to stop it because right now, I’m broken.
“Mia, I may not be the best man in the world. I have done heinous things and I can’t say that I’ll ever stop doing those things. There are a few things I can guarantee you, and that is my love, my honesty from now on, and my word. You have my word that I won’t let anything harm you again. You have my word that I will love you until my dying breath, and you have my word that when I find this sonofabitch, I am going to make him pay for what he has done to you.” So much determination behind those words. This is the rawest I’ve ever seen him and I like seeing this side to him.
“Hudson, has my Mom been by?” I don't think she has and it hurts. Why wouldn't she want to see me? “Does she know that I was taken? Does she know that Lacey died?” I ask him and the way he glances away answers my questions for me.
“Yes she knows,” he tells me and his voice is tight, I know that I’m not going to like whatever the reason for her not being here is. “The reason she’s not here is because I won't let her be.” My eyes widen his words. Why, what has she done?