"I'm sorry." My arms cradled around her, trying to ease her pain. Callie was my best friend, and I didn't want her crying over this. Dave didn't deserve her tears.
"I'm sorry that I didn't say anything," she began, trying to brush her tears aside. She straightened her posture, squaring her shoulders. "If I would have known that Dave was the same guy who…well, I would have said something a long time ago. I feel so…angry that I didn't say anything. I…I could have…I never realized, until now, how badly I could have been hurt. He almost killed you, Ami, he could have if it wasn't for Evan, and knowing that…" Callie shook her head, tears flowing more freely to the point she could barely speak. "I hate him, and I'm ashamed at myself at how careless I was, how easily I blew it off."
"You didn't know."
I never knew Callie would be so affected by what happened to me, just the same as Evan was, but anytime something happened to someone else, it wasn't always easy to look at yourself and ask, "Could this have happened to me?" The thought never usually crossed your mind until it was too late.
The ride back to the hotel was quiet. Evan didn't really talk, and I didn't force any conversation. What would I have said anyway? If I tried to speak, my voice shook and tears threatened to fall, so I stayed quiet.
Evan's hand, the one not in a splint, rested on my knee as we rode in the town car with Callie, Leo, and Remy, none of us saying a word. Remy and Leo had their own battle wounds from various fights throughout the night, as well.
Leo kept looking at Callie, who stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts.
Evan's knee bounced lightly, an indication of the nerves he had. I glanced over at him, questioning, but he simply gave me a weak smile, his hand squeezing my hand lightly.
When we pulled into the drive, Leo and Remy got out and went separate directions with Callie in tow, Leo's arm wrapped around her. Evan and I went the other way to our condo. Nothing was said by anyone. I think we were all kind of in shock over what had happened, and I didn't think they knew what to say.
Back in our room, that was when I lost it. My lip was between my teeth, my arms cradled around me, as I stared at Evan moving through the room looking for water.
It was coming—my break down. I knew it would eventually hit. As I watched him, I wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling, and what this meant for us now.
Maybe he was nervous about what would really happen to Dave now. Or maybe he was upset that it happened on the ice, a place where he was comfortable was now a place that would hold a bad memory for him.
Maybe the drama of everything I brought with me was just another burden he didn't need: a girl that was too much trouble for a guy with all that responsibility.
"Stop," he demanded softly, turning to face me. He stepped forward, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip when I released it.
"What?"
"I can see you thinking. This doesn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere. I never was. From the moment I found you, I was never going anywhere again without you," he explained with a pained expression on his face, his eyes bloodshot and glossy, but swollen from the fight. He was wrecked, both physically and emotionally.
I cried for hours, and I didn't even know if I was even crying over my attack. I was crying for what Evan must have seen. Now I finally realized how horrific that must have been for him.
I cried for my parents and Andrew. I cried just to cry. I cried because in hockey terms, the zone had been cleared, and I felt like I could finally move on.
We lay there with only the sound of the rain and the sound of our breathing and beating hearts. Eventually, Evan tucked me back in his arms and I fell asleep. I heard him whisper he loved me, and I had no doubt he did.
After what felt like an eternity, I felt him shift beneath me, and I realized he was getting up. Unconsciously, I clung to him, protesting with a muted whimper.
"Honey, I need an ice pack for my shoulder. I'll be right back."
I didn't really have the energy to agree, but he must have understood, and moments later, just like he had promised, he returned.
He scooted closer again, folding me into his arms, fitting my head to the curve of his shoulder, a place I remembered being. I remembered the smell of him, the sound of his voice, and for once, I remembered that cab and him holding me, repeating, "Everything's gonna be okay."
I knew with time the memories of that day would come back, but I never thought the good ones would, too. The ones where my knight in shining armor rescued me.
My feelings for Evan ran deeper than any word I could put with the emotion, and though nothing was said, our touches, our unspoken words, were enough to let me know that I was worth being saved.
"Do you feel…relieved?" he asked, and in a way, in a really big way, I was. The thought hadn't crossed my mind until now.
"Are you?"
He breathed against my cheek, his lips pressing gently to my temple. "Yes."