Page 39 of Living Without

“All good, darlin’, I’m not leavin’,” Gypsy told me from over his shoulder.

“I ain’t goin’ anywhere either,” another man growled.

“Vicious, out,” Nary’s dad ordered. I heard this Vicious man suck back a breath ready to argue.

“You also, Dad,” Nary said before anyone could say anything.

“Nary, I just got you back. I’m not leavin’ your side.”

Nary looked back to me. I nodded. He was her dad. He wouldn’t… He should be safe also.

“Nary, don’t think I’m goin’—”

“Saxon, please. I want to get Kelsey out of here.”

Saxon. Nary’s Saxon. She’d told me all about him, how much she loved him even after he was being mean to her. I could understand it though, after everything she’d said. He was always there, always protecting her, and it told me he was also protecting her from himself for some reason.

“All right, clear the room. Gypsy, you good to help Kelsey?” a man with dark messy hair asked.

“Yup,” Gypsy replied curtly.

Saxon’s pained eyes looked longingly at Nary one last time, and just as I was about to shout he could stay, I found myself biting my tongue, holding it back, and he stalked from the room. I just couldn’t handle them all around me. Too many men. Too many angry men, surrounding me, suffocating me.

“I-I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m sorry,” I said again, my voice breaking.

“It’s okay, honey,” Nary reassured me. She stood and bent over. Her hand gripped my arm and slowly she helped me stand. My legs shook under me, but I took a step off the mattress, and then Gypsy was there. He ignored my flinch when his hand wound around my waist. He ignored my sniffles, my tears, and my tremoring body as he guided me slowly towards the door. Nary didn’t leave my side and I was thankful. I couldn’t have done it without her.

We came to stop at the door as Gypsy let go of me for a second. He pulled off his leather vest and then his thermal top. My heart beat frantically as he placed it over my head. Nary helped me pull my arms through. Warmth I hadn’t felt for a very long time filled me.

Silently, with Nary’s dad following, we made our way out of the room. I cringed back when the light hurt my eyes, but Gypsy was there, his arm around my waist again.

“Kelsey, are you good?” he asked.

Blinking, I shielded my eyes for a moment until I was more adjusted and then nodded. We started walking down the hall opposite the bathroom. Once outside, the cool night air touched my skin. I stopped. Nary and Gypsy stopped with me. Ignoring the movement of so many men around me, I felt safe with Nary close, so I tipped my head back and looked to the stars.

Tears brimmed and then fell. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep shuddering breath, the cool, fresh air tickling my skin.

“Kelsey?” Nary said from beside me, her hand squeezing mine. I loosened my grip in hers a little. I hadn’t realised I had been holding her so tightly.

Tipping my head down, I turned to her. My bottom lip wobbled. So much… I was feeling too much, and it was hard to take it all in. My mind spun while my heart danced wildly in my chest, and even with the warmth filling me deep within my stomach, my body shook.

With a small smile on my lips, I stuttered to Nary, “I-It’s beautiful.”

“What?” she asked on a whisper, tears in her eyes.

“Feeling free.”

Closing her eyes, her lips thinned as she nodded. When she opened her gorgeous green eyes again, she ran a hand over my hair. “It is beautiful.”

Chapter Fourteen

NARY

The ride in the van to the compound was silent. I sat beside my father, his arm around my shoulders where I rested my head against his chest. Though, I still had my hand clasping Kelsey’s as she sat next to me. Behind us, in the other free seat, was Gypsy, a man I didn’t know, but was grateful for him being there. What he did for Kelsey was unrepayable, but it was certain the two of us were the only ones who could keep her from having a panic attack.

As soon as we’d climbed in, Gypsy’s hand was over our seat and he gently rested it on Kelsey’s shoulder. At first she’d jumped, until she’d settled into it and leaned into my side. The only other in the car was Pick, who was driving. His eyes kept flicking to me in the rear-view mirror. I knew he wanted to say something, but he held back, and I appreciated it. Not only was I drained, but I was a ball of mixed emotions, and my stomach was playing dodgeball from it all. I was nervous to see everyone, even when I was glad my family surrounded me. However, I couldn’t help but think of who exactly saw that photo Baxter took. Not only that, but I worried how they would treat me once I told them everything that had happened to me. I didn’t want to be a fragile woman. I had been strong before everything. I wanted to go back to being that woman. Still, I was scared I wasn’t going to be.

And Saxon.

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