Page 33 of Embrace the Darkness

“Do you want me to stay?”

I nodded. “Out there.”

Understanding, he left to wait in my room. Louie lingered behind, handing over my clothes. I took them and held them to my chest.

“I’m going to get you an ice pack and something for the pain. Can I get you anything else?”

I shook my head. Louie’s eyes dropped to the towel around me, his expression turning pained before he turned on his heel to leave.

Slowly drying off, I slipped on the shirt and underwear Louie had brought me. The gray T-shirt had one of my favorite bands' logo on the front. It was baggy, soft, and the hem ended at mid-thigh, hiding the purple boy shorts I had on underneath.

I took a long look in the mirror. Bruises had already formed on my cheek bone and there was a little bit of swelling. The corner of my lip was split and also slightly puffy. Overall, it wasn’t that bad. I’d looked worse.

“You alright?” Jamie’s silky voice filled the room. He was standing in the doorway with his hands stuffed in his pockets, watching me.

“I’m seeing how bad it is,” I said, sounding more like myself, and he seemed to notice, too.

“It’ll fade in a week.” He was trying to reassure me. “Louie brought you an ice pack and pain killers.”

I turned around and walked over to him. Without stopping, I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my nose into his chest. “I’m sorry.” I didn’t say what for because I meant it for everything. For the way I'd acted this morning and by the pool, and even for freaking out. Despite our fight and the unsureness between us, he'd still been there for me like always.

“Me too,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me and pressing his lips to my forehead. He gave me a tight squeeze before releasing me and stepping away. “You need to lay down, even if it’s just for a little while.”

I didn’t argue. The covers on my bed were already pulled down and I climbed right in. Jamie handed me two pills and a glass of water. I swallowed them but refused the ice pack.

“Can you stay until I fall asleep?”

“I’ll stay as long as you need me,” he said. I patted the bed next to me with my hand, gesturing for him to lie down. He hesitated at first, then toed off his shoes and pulled his gun from the back of his pants. He slid it under his pillow before he lay down next to me.

Staring up at the ceiling, everything that happened that day started to replay in my mind.

“Don’t think. Just close your eyes, Maura.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, I did as he said, and I drifted off almost instantly.

“Maura, wake up.”

I startled awake and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw a blurry figure hovering above me.

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s just me.”

I blinked a few times and Jamie’s face came into focus. His hand cupped my face and he wiped my cheek with his thumb. “You were crying.”

I quickly wiped at my face. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You were saying some weird shit.”

I tensed. “Oh?” I didn’t want to talk about my dreams,ever. Internally, I prayed he wouldn’t ask.

“How are you feeling?”

Relieved, I relaxed. “Sore. Starving. I don’t think I ate today. How long was I out?”

“About six hours. It’s dinner time. Think you might be up to going downstairs or do you want to eat up here?”

“I’m not ready to face the world yet.”

“By world, do you mean Stefan?” he asked, already knowing the answer.