Page 79 of The Games We Play

This could have been prevented.

Instead, Wes was the one who found Mimi in time to save her life. He beat Nathan off of her and got her help.

I haven’t asked any questions. I haven’t said anything, but I’m raging inside. I want to kill something, anything. My body trembles with so much anger, and I know I’m on the verge of completely fuckinglosing it.

The only thing keeping me grounded is her, so I squeeze her body tighter, pressing my lips into the crown of her head.

I force myself to breathe, calming myself, and focus back on her.

At some point, she collapsed as she was telling the story, and I slid over to her wrapping my entire body around her, like she needed protection. Protection from the words she’s held back saying, reliving a story that no one should have even experienced.

She’s rocking in my embrace as she apologizes profusely, and that only just feeds my fury. She has nothing to apologize for, nothing to feel bad about, and the fact that she feels like she has to, makes my vision blur with rage.

Pulling myself back, I cup her face and stare into her gorgeous eyes. The ones I fell in love with so easily. The ones I’ve seen only in my dreams for the past decade that are now drenched in tears and filled with shame.

“You did nothing wrong, Mimi. Nothing,” I grit out as I kiss her forehead, pulling her back into me.

I want to take her pain away. I want to strip her of the memories from that night, even if it erased the memory of us. I’d rather her remember nothing than anything at all.

We are still outside, perched against her front door on the porch, and even though I’m grateful for the crisp air, it’s too cold and I need to get her inside.

I press into my heels without loosening my hold and bring her to a standing position with me. Cupping my arm behind her legs, I lift her to my chest, carrying her bridal style as I step through into her entryway.

I kiss her temple and whisper in her ear, “One day I’ll be carrying you through a doorway because you’ll be my wife.” A wrecked sob heaves out of her as she grips me tighter, pulling herself even closer to my body.

I’ve never been inside her house, but I've seen most of itthrough my side window, so I don’t need her to tell me where to go. I already have the layout visualized in my head.

Lavender and honey, a scent so distinctly her, fills my senses as I enter through the front door. I kick it closed behind me and pass the kitchen and living room, heading straight to her bedroom.

The herbal floral scent is stronger in this room, and it invites me in as my legs move easily inside the dim space.

Twinkle lights line the bookshelf, giving just enough light to see my surroundings. It’s simple and clean, unlike usual Mimi nature. A yellow and blue velvet patterned chair sits in the corner stacked twenty items deep with articles of clothing. I can assume she tried on, before taking them off and tossing them there.

Placing her on her unmade bed, she curls up tighter on the bed, but doesn’t release the fisted grasp of my shirt.

“Please don’t leave me.” Her soft voice cracks and it breaks my heart. She doesn’t want to ask me for anything, but she knows she needs it.

“Never.”

I’m never leaving her again.

I crawl into the side of her bed, pulling her body flush with mine, and wrap my arms around her.

We lay there motionless as the minutes tick by, and I mentally recap our time at camp, our nights together, and that final night that’s always been known as the best night of my life.

To find out it’s probably the worst of hers because of what happened, is a confliction of feelings I can’t put into words.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. Once, twice, and on the third time I know it’s Rocco. I shouldn’t check it now. I shouldn’t look at the details I know he’s sending to me.

But I need to know more.

Mimi’s breathing has evened out and her body lays heavy against mine.

Knowing she’s finally asleep, I pull out my phone and read the messages.

Rocco: Got the files. I’ll link them to you.

Rocco: I’m, uh…let’s meet in the morning. I’ll bring you the files.

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