Page 70 of Fang
I push past one of Zak’s cronies and head toward the bathroom. Quickly I scrub my hands clean of blood. I check myself over in the mirror and see that I have a small splatter of it on my chin. I wipe that off too with a paper towel.
That’s as good as it’s going to get.
Leaving the restroom, I head down the hall toward my office. “How is she?” I ask Happy who stands guard outside the door.
“She’s fine. Her knee was scraped, but she’s good. Physically, at least, emotionally…” He trails off.
“I got her. Thanks, brother,” I tell him as I step past him.
I step into the office, and my eyes immediately find her. She’s curled up in a ball, sitting in my chair behind my desk, silentlycrying. Rounding the desk, I drop to my knees and turn the chair toward me. I hear the door click shut but pay it no mind.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she chants.
“Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for.”
“This is all my fault,” she sobs.
“What’s your fault?”
She just shakes her head as she cries, refusing to make eye contact, which pisses me the fuck off.
It’s almost as if she thinks she did something wrong. Like she’s the one in trouble, which is fucking ridiculous. She didn’t do shit.
“Talk to me,” I demand.
Tears fall down her cheeks. “I don’t think I can keep doing this.”
“Then quit.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not that easy for me. You know that. I have to pay tuition and room and board. That’s just on top of my other bills.”
Reaching up, I cup her face and wipe her tears with my thumbs. “Little dancer, we both know you aren’t happy here. Shit, I’ll give you whatever the hell you want. I will gladly pay for all that shit if it means you’re safe and happy. Your mental health means more than some fucking bills.”
She rips her face from my hands and rolls the chair back away from me. “No, I can’t let you pay my way. I have to do it. I have to. I won’t be your responsibility!” she sobs.
I close my eyes and sigh. I know Cami is prideful and doesn’t want to be indebted to anyone. I get it, I do, and usually I would agree, but this is different. Yeah, we are new, but I know there is no one else for me.
It’s her or no one.
I just have to convince her that I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to stay. I’ll have to be patient and show her thatrelationships are all about give and take and this is just something she’s going to need to take.
Standing, I grab her and pull her into my arms. She completely breaks down as I hold her tight. I tip my chin and kiss the top of her head.
“I’m sorry. I get it,” I lie. “We’ll figure it out.”
“P-promise?”
I kiss the top of her head again and tighten my hold on her. “I promise. Now come on, how about we get out of here, huh?”
She pulls back slightly but doesn’t break out of my hold.
She wipes her tears and nods. “I’d like that.”
“Okay, then come on. Let’s get you dressed and then figure out where we’re going after that.”
She leans up and kisses me softly. “Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for, little dancer. Nothing.”
