Page 64 of Between Regrets and Promises (Between Us Trilogy #2)
MASON
As soon as we’re back at the house, I carry Sophie’s lifeless body upstairs as she clings to me. My thoughts are so scattered, I can’t sort through them.
Once we’re upstairs in the bathroom, I gently set her down on the countertop.
She’s so broken and defeated, and it takes every ounce of willpower I have left to keep my emotions inside.
The last thing I want to do is fall apart in front of her when she’s already shattered.
Studying her body, I analyze what he did to her.
Her dress is torn to shit, blood is splattered all over her, and her face is red and swollen.
Thank fuck he didn’t touch her fingers and toes or, worse, slice her throat.
That asshole got off on other people’s fear.
“Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” I cautiously ask her. “You might have some broken ribs. They won’t be able to do much for it, but they could give you some good pain meds.”
She shakes her head. I know her well enough that arguing right now won’t help, and I wouldn’t win anyway. If she needs meds, I can find some for her another way. “Okay, baby.”
I turn on the shower so the water can warm up. All I want to do is wash that piece of shit off her, but she’s hurting.
She’ll have two shiners by morning. I can already see the red marks around her neck, making me wish I could’ve shot that fucking bastard myself for touching her.
“Can you lift your arms?” I ask softly, grabbing the hem of what’s left of her dress. With her eyes closed, she slowly raises them. She winces but doesn’t stop until I can fully remove it. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Fuck, I’m so sorry.” I carefully cup her cheeks. “I’ll be super careful.”
Sophie keeps her gaze to the floor, staying silent. She’s emotionally exhausted, and I can’t imagine what she’s thinking, if anything at all.
Wrapping my arms around her, I unstrap her bra and gently slide it off. That motherfucker’s marks are on her arms.
Next, I slide her panties down her legs and toss them aside. Steam fills the room, so I strip off my clothes, and after I test the water, I lift Sophie and walk us to the shower.
Once we’re inside, I set her down, close the curtain, and position us under the stream.
I brush my fingers through her strands and massage shampoo into her scalp, scrubbing out the blood and tangles.
She keeps her eyes shut as I rinse her hair, but moans quietly at my touch.
Sophie reaches for me and tightly grips my biceps, pulling me closer.
“I’m not letting you go, baby. Never again. ”
Her body tenses as I gently wrap my arm around her shoulders, and I know she’s about to break down.
I want her to feel safe with me and give her the space to release whatever she’s feeling.
Cupping her face, I softly press my lips to hers before pulling back and resting my head against hers.
Our breathing is the only sound that can be heard over the heavy stream.
“I love you, Sophie. I love you so goddamn much.” I hope by now she knows I’d do anything for her.
She pulls back slightly, out of the water, and blinks up at me for the first time since I carried her from that house.
“I almost missed the chance to tell you, so I’m taking the opportunity now. Soph, I’m in love with you,” I tell her honestly. “ I love you, I love you, I love you .”
Sophie stares with tears in her eyes, and I don’t know if they’re from my confession or the whole situation.
Either way, I wipe my thumbs over her cheeks, then pull her back into my chest. When she manages to wrap her arms around my waist, her entire body shakes as cries echo into the air.
I hate hearing her sobs, but it’s what she needs to process and get through this.
As terrible as it all was, I have to believe we’ll get through this.
After a while, I grab her loofah and lather her body wash on it.
Slowly, I rub over her skin, cleaning more blood off her face and neck.
I want his memory off her. Sophie stands silently as I scrub over each arm, her chest and stomach, down each leg, and between her thighs.
Then she turns around and allows me to repeat the process.
I reposition her under the water so she’s facing me and watch as it all rinses away.
“I was so scared I’d never see you again,” she finally says after she steadies her breathing. “I knew you’d come looking for me, but I was certain Dalton would shoot you before you’d get to me.”
“I’m sure that was his plan,” I tell her honestly. “But we had a better one.”
“He’s a monster,” she says quietly. “I’m a fool for not seeing it.”
“Listen to me,” I demand, cupping her jaw. “You’re the sweetest, kindest, most trusting person I know. That doesn’t make you a fool, and thinking otherwise isn’t gonna help you in this situation.”
“I should’ve listened to you,” she states weakly, tears falling again.
“I can’t say I didn’t wish you did, too. But I didn’t know who he was either, not until today. I thought he was after a relationship, but neither of us could’ve seen this coming.”
“I fell for it so easily. His lies, his story, everything.” She sounds so defeated.
“That’s because you choose to see the best in everyone, baby. Don’t let him make you second-guess who you are, you hear me? You’re compassionate, and he used that to his advantage. He’s a piece of shit who’s going to prison for a long ass time. I’ll make sure of it,” I promise.
Bringing her closer, I kiss away the tears along her cheeks before bringing my mouth to hers for a tender kiss. I wish I could take all the pain away and pretend none of this happened. Losing Sophie would end me for good.
“He killed her,” Sophie mutters after a while. “That’s my fault.”
Blinking, I pull back slightly to study her expression. “Who?”
“Dacia,” she chokes out.
Shock pulses through me as I try to wrap my head around what she said. “How do you know?”
“He told me. She was getting in his way of having me all to himself. I’m the reason Dacia’s dead,” she says with a shaky voice.
Closing my eyes, I inhale a deep breath, trying to control myself. I’d love to get him in a ring and punch his fucking lights out. He’s a suspect in the murder his wife only five months ago, and now he’s killed another innocent woman. I have no doubt he would’ve killed me or Sophie, or both.
“No, sweetheart. Dalton’s the reason she’s dead,” I say, trying to reassure her, but I’m sure it won’t help.
There’s nothing anyone could’ve said that would’ve changed how I felt about Emma’s death.
“You couldn’t have known what his plans were or how he was gonna hurt her or you.
That fucker is gonna wish Liam killed him because now he’s going to prison for two murders and attempted murder on top of kidnapping.
He’s never gonna be able to touch you again. ”
I cradle her in my arms, needing her as close as possible. The what-ifs haunted me, threatening to break down my barrier of strength. I need to be strong for her so she can get through this, knowing it won’t be easy either way.
What if we hadn’t gotten there on time?
What if we hadn’t found her?
What if he’d shot her?
What if he’d shot Liam, Hunter, or me?
The what-ifs are what will suffocate and choke me for a long ass time.
“The police will be waiting for our statements,” I tell her after a few minutes. “If you’re not ready, I’ll tell them to come back. They can wait.”
And they can. I’ve worked dozens of cases throughout my internship where witness statements weren’t collected for days or sometimes weeks. They won’t push her as long as I demand they back off.
“I want to tell them everything,” she says.
“Make sure they find Dacia’s body, make sure he goes to prison, make sure I don’t forget any detail that’ll keep him away from me.
I’ll testify against him and do whatever it takes.
” Her lips tremble, and that’s when my own dam breaks.
Hearing how strong she wants to be to get justice for her friend and herself has my vision blurring with tears.
Fuck, I hate that bastard for doing this to my girl and wouldn’t blink if he magically died on the way to the ER.
“Whatever you want to do, baby. I’ll be here with you. I’m not going anywhere.”
Sophie tries to wrap her arms around my neck, but winces before she can reach high enough. I grab her hands and hold them to my chest instead as I lean down and rest my forehead against hers.
“I know.” She brings our mouths together for a deep, tender kiss, and it’s exactly what I needed to feel her strength. “Will you say it again?”
Blinking, I study her face, wondering what it is she wants to hear. She pulls in her bottom lip and looks at me, and then it hits me.
Lifting the corners of my mouth, I flash a small grin. “I love you, Sophie. So. Goddamn. Much.”
Then she gives me the softest, sincerest look as she repeats those very words to me. “I love you too, Mason.” If two people’s hearts could beat to the same rhythm, at the same pace, in the same melody—it’d be ours.
I fight back a goofy smile but hearing her say that to me is a moment I want to stamp into my memory forever. She’s changed everything for me, and there’s no way I’d go back to the shell of a man I was before she sparked life back into my soul.
Once we’re out of the shower, I help her dry off before wrapping the towel around her body.
After I finish drying myself, I carry her to my bed.
She could walk, but it’s painful for her.
I quickly put on shorts and a T-shirt before heading downstairs to her room and grabbing the comfiest clothes I can find, then head back to my room and help her get dressed.
Checking my messages, I read the ones from Liam. Dalton’s been taken to the hospital, Hunter went home to Lennon after he gave his brief statement, and he and the cops are now waiting for us in the living room. I take Sophie’s hand and kiss her knuckles.