More tears fall from her eyes, along with a small whimper. I try to give her the best smile I can manage to comfort her.
“We have to get cleaned up, okay? We gotta get a shower,” I state softly. Fear lights up in her eyes, and I feel her move away from me and closer to Riggs. Her poor hand is squeezing so tightly it’s white. I soothe her, rubbing my hand across her face.
“I know you don’t want to leave her. I know you're scared. But we have to get cleaned up. It’ll only take a few minutes. I need you to trust me, Valor. Riggs will be okay. She’s going to be okay.”
I lied. I know Riggs is alive and she will walk out of the hospital in a few days, but I don’t think she will ever be okay again.
“Look at me,” I state, “I’m right here with you, the entire time. I’m not leaving.”
She just stares at me with those hollow eyes, but she isn’t fighting me. After she releases a shaky breath, she nods her head just slightly. I slowly run my arm under the bend in her knees while the other cradles her head to my chest. Once she is scooped up into my arms, I stand to my full height.
She leans into my chest, inhaling deeply, and I fight off a smile of contentment. All these years later and the smell of me still comforts her. I clutch her tightly to my body, hoping the steady beat of my heart will calm hers.
I look down at her fragile body in my arms. The only thought that passes through my mind is...
I’m so fucking in love with her.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?”
I look up from Valor to see Preston blocking my path to the bathroom that is connected to the hospital room. I feel Valor’s body flinch. Her grip on my shirt tightens.
I raise a suspicious eyebrow at him. “I’m going to get her cleaned up.” I pause, “And stop fucking yelling, you inconsiderate prick, you’re freaking her out.”
Preston doesn’t even move his eyes to Valor to check on her, he just keeps making eye contact with me like it will make me disappear. It’s getting weird. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he was trying to snake charm me.
“Sorry, what was your name again? Bishop? I barely know you, and obviously you weren’t important enough for Valor to mention in the years we have been together, so I’m not letting you see her naked. You could rape her for all I know.” His pompous attitude makes me want to slam his head into the wall just so he will shut up.
Every movement is pretentious. I know men like him, everything they do has a hidden meaning. He has an agenda. And I know for certain he doesn’t deserve someone like Valor.
I grind my teeth. “You think I’m going to cop a feel while she’s covered in her best friend's blood?” I scoff, “That’s what you are worried about right now?”
I look down at the girl in my arms, shaking my head, before looking back up at Preston. “She just watched her best friend, who she has known since she was six years old try to end her life. Valor held her wrists when she died. This girl just went through fucking hell, and you are more worried about me seeing her naked? Get the fuck over yourself, and get the fuck out of my way.”
His face is shocked before he reverts back to his JFK impersonation. I watch as he clears his throat, standing firm in front of me. If I didn’t have Valor in my arms, I’d punch him. I’d knock him flat onto his pretentious ass.
“It’s not happening. I can take her myself,” He chides with his jaw raised like he is giving his election speech. He moves his arms towards her, and she buries her face into my shirt shaking her head back and forth.
I can hear her soft cries and this overwhelming urge to try to destroy every single thing that has ever hurt her passes over my body. I want to take her back to when she was little and the world was pure. I want to talk to her mom, make her stay; give her the life she always wanted growing up. I want to take away Riggs’ hurt, and I want to go back and fix that day all those years ago.
“Look, man. Obviously she doesn’t want to go with you, just leave her be,” Nico chimes in from next to Preston. “Look at her,” he motions to Valor with his head, “she’s clinging to him for dear life, just let this one go. If you care about her, just let him help her.”
“I’m not letting you take my girlfriend in there to undress her. I saw the way you were staring at her at the event!” he continues to push the subject. If Valor wasn’t holding onto me so tightly, I’d set her down and knock this guy the fuck out.
He reaches for her again, gripping her arm. “Come on, Valor, this is ridiculous. Quit acting like a child. This is obviously a stunt for attention. From you and Aurelia.”
Valor jerks her arm away from him, cutting her eyes in his direction for the first time since I have been here.
“Don’t touch me!” she shrieks loudly. I try to hug her closer to my body, trying to calm her down as she falls into a state of hysterics.
“Valor, this is silly,” he comments. When he moves to grab her again, I remove one of the hands from behind Valor, and place my palm on his chest shoving as hard as I possibly can.
Preston falls backward hitting a medical tray, knocking the contents all over the floor. The equipment rattles on the floor, and before anyone can do anything else, two nurses walk inside the room demanding to know what happened.
“This man assaulted me!” Preston accuses as he stands up dusting himself off.
The nurses look over at me. “Bullshit, I was defending myself. He was trying to take her,” I nod down at Valor, “against her will. When I refused to give her over, he tried to punch me so I shoved him back.”
Preston obviously argues his point, but soon all is settled when Nico speaks up.
“He is telling the truth, he tried hitting him, so Bishop defended himself.”
The nurses look at Preston. “Sir, you’ll have to come with us or we will call security.”
I withhold a smirk as I watch him gasp, “This is absurd!”
“Sir,” they warn, and he rolls his eyes.
“Fine, you are all delusional,” he mumbles storming into the hallway. Once they all leave the silence settles back in.
“That guy is a dick,” Nico states and I nod in agreement. I start to walk past him when Valor’s arm reaches out and grabs Nico’s forearm tightly. She digs her nails into his skin, turning her head to peer up at him.
“Don’t leav-ve her. She can’t feel alone. She can’t feel alone. S-She can’t f-feel alone…” Her voice is raw and cracked. You can barely hear the words, but Nico nods. He takes in her plea and gives her a soft smile. His hand runs down her hair soothingly.
“Shhhh… I got her, Baby Sullivan. I got her.”
Valor’s eyes hold all the gratitude in the world, and I watch as Nico takes the seat Valor just left. I look down at her, and I smile gently.
The walk to the shower is slow, and everything feels like it’s in slow motion. Her shoes are no longer on her feet and all she is wearing is the same light blue dress she wore to the event. When I saw her earlier, I thought about how stunning that color looked on her. It accented her skin tone and made her red hair stand out. She looked soft, elegant, beautiful.
Now whenever she sees this dress, whenever she sees this color all she is going to remember is when it was coated in her best friend’s blood. All she will feel is the hurt. The pain of this night will never go away.