Page 55 of The Fighter who Needed Me
Then, he picked her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to his rooms and put her on the bed while he lit a fire and found a cloth he could use to clean her up.
She was lying back on his bed, and her nightgown was still on her arms, but was open, showing him the perfection of her naked body.
He cleaned her up quickly and kissed the inside of her thigh, then pulling her into his arms and covering them with the blankets.
She kissed his chest again and he leaned down and kissed her mouth. “How is it you are here? I thought I would never see you again. I saw your announcement in the pages and thought it was over for us.”
She told him everything and he listened with horror, and with anger to what she had been through.
And when she was done and told him what Burk and Lily had done for her, he kissed her softly and pulled her in close.
“I will never let anything happen to you again. I swear it on my soul and that of my mother.”
She looked up at him and kissed him back, “I love you Brooks. I always have.”
“I love you as well. My perfect love.”
She smiled at him and he made love to her again, in his bed. Claiming her again and again and letting her know with his body that she was never leaving his side and he would protect her always.
* * *
The next morning Brooks knew they could not stay in London.
Not with Bruce, Kitty and Reginald most likely looking for her.
He knew that Aidan had told him that the cottage was his to use, or that they could stay in the massive house, and he liked that option.
He kissed his wife awake, and she stirred in his arms.
“My love, we need to leave for the country tomorrow. I think we will be safer there and it is a place you won’t be so easily found.”
She blinked a few times, “What?”
He explained his plan again and she was awake enough to understand, “Why don’t we leave today then?”
He shook his head, “I have a fight tonight. My last one. After this I retire the Angel’s King for good.”
She sat up and took the blankets with her, holding them to her breasts, “May I come and see you?”
He started to shake his head, and then nodded. “If you sit with some friends of mine. I know they will keep you safe.”
She nodded, “I will stay with them the entire time.”
He slowly nodded, “Then yes, I would love for you to see my last fight.”
She grinned, “I want to see it as well,” her eyebrows dipped down for a second, “Will you be hurt at all?”
She touched the bruises he had gotten from a few days ago, and he shook his head, “No. I only got these because I was drunk and tried to fight that way. I still won.”
She gave a small nod, “If you are certain?”
He kissed her, “I am certain.”
He stood from the bed and felt her eyes on him the entire time. He stretched his muscles and felt some of his bones pop.
He had slept better than he had in months and felt happy for the first time in that long as well.
He pulled on a pair of breeches after a quick wash and left his chest bare.
