She shakes her head against me. “It’s okay. I think it’s stopped bleeding, but it stings a bit.” Raising her head, I brush the hair back from her face and see the cut. It starts from beside her eye and travels down along her jaw. The bastards hurt her. Marked her.
“I’ll kill him.” I start to rise.
“No. He isn’t worth it,” Rosie whispers.
“He did this to you because of me.”
“This isn’t your fault Ruben.” She rests her head against my chest. “I’m just glad you’re here, although I’m not sure what to make of it considering what you said to me at the club.”
I knew I’d have to explain myself, but I’m conscience of my brothers hovering in the background and the movements from next door.
With a sigh, I’m the most honest I’ve been with her, “I knew from the moment we found the stuff in your sneaker that you’d been set up. Hunter convinced me to blame you to push you away from Kenza and me so you’d hopefully be safe. He thought with Simon having seen you running from the restroom when he was in there with Joe that he might temporarily leave you alone and slip up at the club somehow. Obviously that didn’t work out too well.” I lean forward and press my lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “It split my heart in two doing that to you. I wanted to do it in privacy, but Hunter figured I’d screw up and end up telling you the truth.”
“He’d have done that alright,” Ramon comments.
“Haven’t you two got something better to do?”
“No,” they reply together. “Nothing’s more important right now than making sure you and Rosie are okay.”
Well hell!
I turn back to my girl. “I love you. I won’t ever lie to you again. I promise.” I see the shock on her face, which slowly turns into a grin, but she flinches in pain and reaches up to press her palm against her face.
“Nice going brother. Just blurt it out. Whatever happened to romance, and Rosie, let me find something for your face,” Ramon comments rooting through one of the knapsacks thrown on the floor, but continues, “You know arranging a nice meal by candle light and all that.” He pulls out a medical kit and walks back toward us. “Let me see your face.”
Rosie turns to face him as I wrap my arms around her waist to keep her close to me. “She can have anything she wants as soon as we leave here. Just hurry up and sort her out.”
“This is going to sting,” he tells her before dabbing the antiseptic wipe along the cut.
She hisses through her teeth. “Ouch. That hurts.”
“Sorry, but you don’t want it getting infected. I’m going to cover it. Um, I’m just not sure with what though. It’s kinda in an awkward place.” He roots through the medical kit, but comes up empty.
“It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I just want to go home.”
“It needs covering,” Julian informs us. “I’ll do it.”
Rosie pushes back against me. “Who are you?”
He smiles and holds his hand out. “I’m Julian O’Reilly, ma’am. U.S. Marines.”
Placing her hand in his she says, “Thank you for saving me.”
“All in a day’s work.” Releasing her hand, he crouches in front of us. “Now let’s get something on that so you can get going.”
“Hunter?” she questions.
“Hunter’s fine, but he’s going to have to stay here and sort this mess out so I wouldn’t expect to see him any time soon. The paramedics are on the way as well as the cops.” He places the strips of gauze he’s just cut onto Rosie’s face before taping them into place. “That should hold you, but go and get a shot to be safe.” He stands back up and quickly packs all his stuff away. “I need to get going before the cops show up. I’m not supposed to be here.”
“Okay. Thanks for everything.” I shake his hand and wrapping Rosie back up in my arms, I watch him quickly shake the hands of my brothers before he quickly exits the room.
“How are you feeling babe,” I whisper into her ear and feel her shudder in my arms. I tighten my hold on her.
“Exhausted.” She turns so our lips are mere inches apart. “Will you take me back to your place? I just want to be with you.” Her eyes fill with tears. “I need you to hold me and never let me go.”
“I can do that.” She has me all choked up. I don’t deserve her forgiveness for what I said and did to her, but with what she’s saying it sounds like she forgives me. I just hope it isn’t wishful thinking on my part.
Chapter 34 ~ Rosie