Love Me in the Dark novel Chapter 28

KREW

This wasn’t supposed to end like this. Watching River curling on the floor of the ladies' room, whining in excruciating pain, broke my heart. I couldn’t just ignore the image of her getting hurt on my watch.

It was all my fault. I let her go alone. Now disturbing things happened.

As rage called urgently in my veins, I dashed in and scooped her into my arms. She was shaking and crying from fear. River hastily coiled her arms around my neck. As she gripped my suit, I felt as if her fear was pulling her away into the dark abyss.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m here now. I would never let you out of my sight again.” My voice came out as a weak and pitiful whisper because I knew, and I felt I had failed her.

I just broke a promise.

I pulled her into my arms in a tight hug as I tried to calm her sob.

I was scared for her, but it had to happen. I knew if she ever found out about this, she would never forgive me. She would hate me for the rest of my life. She would despise me, and I might not be able to recover when the moment came that I had to face her, look into her eyes as I watched those deep pain, flaming anger, and fear reflected right back at me.

“I-I was so scared.” She just twisted the knife in my heart with her words.

My throat choked up. “It’s over now. It’s over now, baby.” I cupped her face. “Look at me.” Her eyes were still shut. “I know you’re scared, so do I. All the time when I was not with you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you if you were safe or if you were terrified at that certain moment.”

She finally opened her eyes and fucked me now, hurt wouldn’t cover how much I felt right now. Those bright blue eyes were swimming with tears. I had to look down. My gut twisted sickly with so much guilt for putting her in this horrible situation. I wished I could take it back. I wished I could, but her nightmare was over now.

Jesus Christ.

“I’ll take you to the hospital. Are you hurt? Did he touch you?” What stupid questions?

“I think I’m fine. I don’t know. It happened so fast.” She sobbed again.

“I still have to take you to the hospital.”

“No. I don’t want to go. I just wanna go home.”

“I have to make sure you’re okay, baby. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally.”

“I tried to step back when he was about to launch toward me. Then I might have tripped off. I can't remember how it happened. The last thing I knew, I was on the floor, and my head hurt.”

I scooped her up, carrying her bridal style. I wasn’t aware, Kai, Krys, and Journey were already inside.

“Let’s head out. Take the back exit. The car is ready for you. Krys and Journey will ride with me,” Kai said and looked down at the terrified River. “We just have to continue our interrupted dinner next time. Get better, okay?”

River nodded against the crook of my neck. Before I could reach the way to the exit door, my brother took off his suit and used it to cover River. I knew what he was doing. We got a little bit of attention in and out of the restaurant.

Thankfully, there was no crowd at the back of the premises, except for my driver, Conner, and one of the cops who arrested Briar.

“She won’t give a statement right now. I need to make sure first she’s okay.”

“I’m fine, Krew. I can give a statement.”

“No. You need to clear your head first.”

We were soon on the road. Detached, River hadn’t said a word, wrapped herself in my brother’s suit. With eyes closed, I knew she was in deep thoughts as she leaned against the window.

“Are you okay?” I swiped some strands off her forehead. “Are you sure you don’t wanna go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine. I just wanna make sure he stays in jail. I’m not just gonna sit here and pretend this is over. This is far from over. If I know, he might have been released on his way.”

“He can’t.” I looked away, worried she would sense something I was not ready to tell.

“How are you so sure?”