Page 16 of Blade

“A little bit.”

Her lower lip trembled and the tears she’d been holding back rolled down her face.

“Aw, don’t cry darlin’,” I murmured, wiping her face with my thumbs. “Can I hug you?”

She nodded and I wrapped my arms around her.

“I’m sorry,” she cried into my shoulder.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about, sweet girl. It’s probably a little overwhelming huh?”

She nodded and I rubbed her back before lifting her in my arms. “It’s going to be alright, Eloise. I promise.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around me and I patted her bottom. I imagined it was overwhelming to be in such a bad situation on your own and then being dropped into a pile of people who genuinely cared about you.

Elliot knocked on the bathroom door just as I pushed it open with my foot.

“Is she okay?” he mouthed.

“I think Eliose is feeling a little bit overwhelmed and maybe a bit ouchie.”

“I know, I’m sorry, sweet girl. I cleaned the infection out of your leg and put you on an antibiotic and steroid. Those things combined are what’s making you feel so bad,” Elliot said, after passing Tinsely to Tyler. “I can give you something for the pain and I can promise in forty-eight hours you’ll feel like a brand-new person. Just hang in there with me and let all the medicines work, okay?”

“Okay,” she mumbled into my neck.

Setting her on the bed and taking her hand, I stroked my thumb across her skin. “You’re being so brave,” I told her.

“Thank you,” she answered, but I could tell she didn’t believe me. That was okay. She would eventually.

Elliot put something into her IV and adjusted her bag of fluids. “I want you to try and eat something. What sounds yummy?”

“I have a granola bar in my backpack. That’s usually what I eat for meals.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat at the thought of her eating granola bars as a main food source, I pulled out my phone.

“I’m craving pizza. Does that sound good?” I asked.

“No, thank you. I’ll just have my bar.”

“Eloise, I know you’ve used to being on your own and you’re such a brave woman, but you don’t have to do it alone anymore. You have lots of people in your life now thatwantto help you. Dinner is a small thing, please let me provide it for you,” I begged. I wasn’t against begging.

A plethora of emotions rolled across her face and she bit her lip while she processed my words.

“I can’t get used to this,” she explained. “It will make it harder when I leave.”

“You’re not leaving. I’m keeping you forever,” I told her, only half teasing.

“This little group has a tendency to love you despite all your protests,” Elliot added, looking over her leg.

“It’s not safe for you all. You don’t understand.”

Bless her heart. Even hurt, she was worried about others. What a precious soul.

“Sweetheart, we’re not worried about your ex,” I reaffirmed.

Honestly, he wouldn’t be a problem this time tomorrow anyway. Not if I had anything to say about it.

“But you should be. He will ruin all of your lives.They all will. It’s so much worse than just physical violence. He will dig up everything you’ve ever done and bring it against you. Every mistake. He will tell your friends, your boss, your families. He doesn’t care. He’ll tell the world about your lifestyle, nothing will be private if he can find it.”

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