E.W.E.W - L.W.T.B.B Copyright © 2012-2017 xXMopelXx All Rights Reserved.

Current Chapter Posted - Monday, July 31, 2017

Happy Reading, babes. xo

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{ Chapter 34 }: Walking wound and his sexy nurse

Holy shit were the only two words coursing through my mind as I stared at the girl before us.

Pushing aside the thought of Sam for a moment, I perused the infamous Kate.

She seemed to flush under my scrutiny, pushing a lock of her black waist-length curly hair behind her ear, as if self-conscious. I snapped out of my reverie and gave her a little smile. "Kate...I've heard so much about you."

This is the girl that Nathaniel liked, for lack of a better word.

Beautiful in that traditional way, there was a classic beauty surrounding her. All bare and heart-shaped face, except for the black winged eyeliner running along the lids of her hooded blue eyes. Her skin was a shade lighter than olive and she had a sweet smile that was tentative.

"Really?" she stammered, her perfect old-style Hollywood features taking on an awe-like quality. "I, uh, didn't know he talked about me."

"Well, he does," I said. "Don't mind me asking, but what are you doing here, Kate? It's almost midnight and well..."

"-I'm sitting on his steps like a crazy person with a plate filled with dessert. Right." She finished off with a wry smirk, ruffling her perfect locks. "Yeah, I'm aware. I was just waiting for Nate to get home so I could give this to him."

Nate. She's waiting for Nate. Just like I'm waiting for Sam.

I started panicking all over again and shot a pleading look over my shoulder to Nicholas, who'd been silent since we spotted Kate. He levelled me a look of understanding and gave a slight shake of his head, as if to say 'not in front of her'.

Nate hung up on us and I didn't know where they were. I couldn't call the police and I couldn't go driving around town looking for them because it would be ludicrous. I felt out of options, yet I couldn't just stand here doing nothing about it.

Shxt's about to go down. Go to my place and wait for Sam and I. I'll explain later. A twinge sparked in my chest, making my heart physically hurt.

"Well, you better not wait outside in the cold," Nicholas finally spoke up from beside me. "Come inside with us."

Kate looked up at Nico from her sitting position, as if seeing him for the first time, and beamed, her expression platonic and friendly. "Hi."

Nicholas cleared his throat and peered down at her through his lashes. "Hi. I'm Nicholas." He extended his hand to her and the light blush tingeing his cheeks did not escape me even in the dark. Kate took his outstretched hand and hoisted herself up. "Nice to meet you."

She was still smiling, drinking in his appearance. "Likewise."

Nicholas shot me the keys, obviously too fixed with her to open the door. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, not even bothering to tell him it was useless. Nate was obviously in...I'm not too sure what with this girl.

"Aren't his parents home or something? We can't just go in, Nico," I whispered, my pulse picking up pace at the thought of breaking into someone's house. I mean, we had a key apparently – which I didn't know how Nico got – but it still felt wrong.

Oh, fvck it. I'd done so much worse.

"Nate's parents are almost never home," Kate whispered sadly, her eyes cutting to the ground.

There was obviously more to the story so I simply nodded. Walking to the front door, I thought that maybe she was right after all and that no one was home. There were no cars parked on the huge cobblestone driveway and all the lights seemed to be shut off.

I unlocked the door and cast them both a glance over my shoulder. "It's open."

Nicholas ignored me, saying something to Kate with a smile. She laughed breathily under her breath.

When she was standing to her full height, I realized she was tall. I probably had at most two inches on her. She had to have been around five feet seven or eight. Moreover, she had that classic 1950's pin-up body, her figure curvy with big breasts and shapely hips leading to long legs. The jeans jacket and pink chiffon dress covered her modestly.

I could see why Nate must be enamoured with her. She was pretty, had that rocking womanly type of bod, and came off as genuinely sweet.

"Um, guys?"

They snapped their heads my way and understanding dawned upon Nico's face. With a scowl, he closed the distance between us. I stepped back, letting him enter the house first. I followed and so did Kate.

"How do you guys know Nate?" she asked as Nicholas expertly led us through the massive house, finding the kitchen in no time.

"I've known him for awhile now. We're friends. Go way back," Nico said, granting her a smile, before it turned sour. "He failed to mention you though."

He flickered on the lights as he went, and we were greeted by state-of-the-art appliances and black and gold décor. My jaw almost dropped. This was beautiful.

Nicholas went ahead and pulled a high chair from the island counter, sitting down like he was home.

"I need to call them, Nico." I informed him as I padded closer. "I need to know they're okay." They're not okay, but I need to know what's happening before I lose my mind. I can't keep up my cool and collected mask for very long.

Nico didn't say anything, simply stared at me in that all-knowing way. He may have been worried as hell, but it was nothing compared to me. He fvcking wasn't with one of the guys. Not like I was, anyway.

Kate acted like she was at ease in this house, floating into the kitchen and placing her tray over the black marble surface. She glanced at me then. "Is everything okay?"

Nico and I gave her matching grim expressions. She blinked, confused all over again.

I exhaled roughly and dialed Sam's number on my phone. When it went straight to voicemail, I cursed loudly and dropped my phone so hard on the counter that it clattered with a decisive sound. I palmed my face and squeezed my eyes shut. "Oh, God."

Nico's voice was next to me. "Anna. You calling Sam is going to do nothing. They won't pick up." Then his voice was lower so only I could hear. "We need to remain here like Nate told us, too. If they're not here in half an hour, I'll go check myself."

"You mean Rafe?" Kate inserted from next to us. "Rafael?"

I forgot that Sam mentioned to me that he knew her since the Italian side of his family ran in the same circle as hers. I touched my face again, sighing. "Yeah. Sam. Rafael."

"Oh, cool. How do you guys know him?"

Nicholas didn't say anything. Instead, he smirked cheekily and whirled my way, raising his eyebrows meaningfully. I sighed, carefully weighing my next words. "I'm Sam's girlfriend."

Kate's eyes brightened and she laughed girlishly. "Oh. Yes. I've heard about you." Then she flushed. "Well actually, Nate mentioned you to me."

"Good things, I hope."

"Yes," she agreed. "Good things. Sam spoke about you once when he was drunk. Months ago. You're Jodanna, right?"

That was so like my Beer Boy. I nodded, fighting the silly smile from breaking across my face. "The one and only. How do you know Nate?"

The soft smile and blush crept back in like it was her natural disposition. With an impressive tricep curl that I wasn't expecting, she boosted herself up on the counter near the stovetop, crossing her leg over the other in a very ladylike manner. "I've known him for years actually."

I lifted my eyebrows.

"We've been neighbours since my family moved into the house next door when I was three." She stuck her thumb out to the left. "I guess you can say we grew up together for awhile. Then we kind of drifted away – our families don't talk much - and just recently started talking again."

"Oh, cool." Because I didn't know what else to say.

Nicholas cleared his throat. "So you always wait for him at his doorsteps with food at midnight?"

She breathed out a laugh and glanced away, biting her bottom lip rosy. "No...I said something to him as a joke, and he hasn't spoken to me in days. I think he's sulking. So I was just apologizing by making him some homemade tiramisu."

"That's nice of you."

"Yeah, well, he always brings me something so I owed him this." She fiddled with a pink notepad and a pen that she drew out of her pocket. She scribbled down in cursive writing, before pinning the note on the foil covered tray. "I texted him earlier and he said he was supposed to be home half an hour ago. I'm surprised he hasn't been here yet. Do you guys know why?"

Nicholas and I exchanged a secret look. Of course, we knew why. Same reason Sam wasn't here. My stomach sunk anew.

There was a sweet innocence surrounding Kate. She seemed clueless, meaning there was no way she was familiar with Nate's lifestyle. Therefore, Nicholas and I couldn't breathe a word to her.

Nicholas's eyes riveted in her direction as he spoke. "He wanted to hang out with us after his shift, so he gave us keys to get settled in."

Her legs stopped swinging and slowly, her face drained of any color.

"Oh." Kate's ears burned red. "I didn't know he was hanging out with friends after work. He didn't specify that on text so I assumed – Uh, I should probably get going then. I thought he was free tonight, um, I, he didn't tell me he was expecting anyone. So. So I was waiting for him, stupidly–"

"Kate," I interjected softly when the girl wouldn't stop babbling nervously. "It's okay. You can stay. You should stay."

Truthfully, we were probably the ones who were imposing. The poor girl was embarrassed because she'd wanted to spend time with him and, in reality, Nate had most likely wanted that, too. Nico and I ruined that. I felt horrible.

This whole shxt had gone south. This is not how my evening was supposed to go.

Kate swung down from the counter and smoothed a hand down the skirt of her dress for any non-existent wrinkles. "Tell – Please, tell Nate I said sorry when you see him. I didn't mean to impose. And, uh, it was nice meeting you guys."

She hurried through her goodbye and walked out of the kitchen before I could properly register what was happening. By the time I came to my senses, she was gone.

I angled myself towards Nico, who wrapped an arm around my waist like an anchor. My head rested against his. "She should have stayed," I muttered. "I feel like axssholes for ruining what should have been their night."

There was a thoughtful look inching upon his face as he stared at where she'd once been. "She's really pretty. I don't get why Nate never really told us about her."

"Nico. Focus. Please." She's taken, boy. Don't get that gleam in your eyes...

Nicholas sighed as his eyes flickered back to mine. "In a way, it's good that she left. I don't know what kind of state Nate and Sam are going to be in when they get back. Don't know how Nate would explain shit with her around. It's obvious she has no idea he fights underground – illegally."

My stomach rolled at the mention of the two boys. I'd had enough. "I'm calling Nate this time."

Nicholas didn't object as I dialed Nathaniel's number. He held me up like my pillar of strength. It went straight to voicemail.

Acid burned in my lungs. Oxygen was a fit.

Nico rubbed his hands up and down my arms when my eyes started stinging with new tears. "Hush. It's okay. Take a deep breath for me." He was worried, too, but handling it far better than me.

"He didn't even properly have dinner before he left, Nico." I don't know why that thought saddened me, but I sobbed out loud once, before tucking my face into Nicholas's neck.

He smoothed his hands down my back in understanding as I held myself together in his arms. I can't cry. I shouldn't cry. I wasn't supposed to expect the worst.

We spent an hour at Nate's empty house with a heavy weight on my chest and wordless understanding before an unceremonious text message came from an unknown number. It was from a guy named Blade, claiming to be one of the fighters from Richie's gym.

It's over. Nate says to go home. He'll call you tomorrow morning. – Blade

I was quick to type back. What's over? What about Sam? Where are they?

Don't worry just go home for now. Nate won't be home for awhile. No point in waiting for him. - Blade

Nico thought the name to be familiar, which is the only reason we listened to this Blade guy's instructions.

Nicholas drove me home with my heart stuck in my throat.

* * *

Waiting for Sam, I dozed off on the staircase without changing out of my clothes the minute Nico brought me home.

That odd sense of foreboding woke me up once again, snaking down my back and igniting a row of goosebumps. I waited until the sleep cobwebs weaved in my mind slowly dispersed before pulling out my cellphone out of my pocket. The bright light of the screen momentarily blinded me.

2:03 am.

I napped for about thirty minutes. Shit. Sitting up as straight as an arrow, I glanced over my shoulder towards the barely lit hallway beyond the stairs. The doors of Michael and Mom's room were firmly shut. The latter must think I was sleeping soundlessly in my own bed.

I unlocked my phone, but heaviness stuck deep inside my stomach as I found no messages from Sam. I texted him, biting my nails as I waited for a reply.

I waited a few minutes more.

I called him. He didn't answer.

I texted Nate.

When no answer came through, I got up and walked towards the front entrance. Wanting to peak through the side window next to the door, and see if Sam's black crotch-rocket would be standing still in the driveway. It was wishful thinking on my part, but I'd get some sort of comfort out of it.

His bike was there.

Gasping quietly, I withdrew from the window and frantically undid the locks and bolts. I might have broken a nail in my haste to wrench open the door.

My furiously pounding heart came to a full stop. "Sam."

Sam's crooked grin was bloodied as he held himself up languidly – weakly even – one arm propped along the doorframe. "Oh, good. You recognize me. I take it I'm not too badly beaten up?"

I choked on a soundless cry.

"I was just about to text you for help, Barbie."

Sam feigned indifference with a forced chuckle at my expression, but I saw right through his busted and bloodied lip, abraded jaw and swollen black eye.

This was nothing like the times I'd caught the cuts and bruises he was sporting on his face and body. This was a million times worse.

"No. Baby, no," I chanted, horrified at what I was seeing. This wasn't an image my mind had conjured up. Real. It was all too real.

My hands came up to clamp over my mouth.

Suddenly, Sam's face contorted and he left out a final rough exhale. His heaving chest, which was struggling with each breath, collapsed as if his lungs grew tired. Those green pools of emerald shuttered closed as he released the sharpest mixture between a breathless groan and tortured growl. His big body swayed as it folded in half.

My Beer Boy fell to the cold ground in a heap of blood and sounds that pierced my heart.

* * *

Blood pounded a rough rhythm in my ears, drowning out every one of Sam's pained whimpers.

My knees were raw and scrapped from when I fell to my knees and crawled over the threshold to him.

I'd never been more terrified and relieved when he'd turned his head to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood on my front porch. Terrified because God, so much fvcking blood. Relieved because he was breathing and still alive.

I'd swiped my fingers over his wounded jaw, my warm silent tears hitting him in the face. He'd turned his head, cupping my chin with his gnarly hand. "D-Don't cry." He spat some more blood. "P-Please. Hate seeing you like this, Barbie. Breaks my damn heart."

He was breaking my heart. It wasn't okay. I wasn't okay. Even after all this, I was his first concern.

Always.

I managed to get him to loop an arm around my neck with ton of effort. One of my arms was curved around his waist and the other holding tightly onto the hand hanging limply from my neck. I kissed his skin, the one spot where there wasn't any evidence of his fight. "I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry."

He didn't understand what I was apologizing for. Nor did he protest as I dragged him out of the entrance and up the staircase.

Closing the door to the bathroom, I ordered him to sit on the closed toilet seat and he complied, holding on to his midsection and releasing another pained growl.

"My sides are killing me," he panted as explanation.

I fell to my knees again, between his parted legs, and cupped his face in my hand. Sam stared at me pensively as I licked the salty tears at the corners of my lips. "I'm so sorry."

He placed his forehead against mine. "I don't understand why you're apologizing, baby."

I should tell him why I was harboring all this guilt.

His handsome face was so battered and marred, and I ached.

The reasonable side of me shouted that this wasn't all my fault. This would have happened whether Sam and I got involved, because Joey and his family were sick fvcks. They'd still have wanted him, regardless of my involvement with him. I just gave them the push they needed. The unreasonable side of me, the one that was masochist and housed all my demons cackled that this was all my fault because it was easier to feel guilty for your actions then to let it all go.

My past was catching up with my future in the worst way possible.

"I need to get you to a hospital, Sam," I whispered fiercely, despite the tears running down my cheeks. "I'm going to call an ambulance."

Samuel's body jolted and he squeezed my hands which were still resting on his with a ferocity I forgot easily he possessed. "Please, Jodanna. No hospitals. I can't explain this mess to the cops. We can't get them involved. I promised all the guys; that's why I came to you."

"Sam." I pleaded hoarsely. "You need proper care."

"I don't fvcking need anything. I just fvcking need you. Please, baby."

I stared at him, breaking all over again at his desperate words.

"You can fix me," he panted, holding his sides on a groan. "I know you can."

As if he was broken. As if he needed fixing. He was perfect all over. I was the one with flaws.

Our gazes fought a quiet domineering match. He won, with those begging bloodshot eyes drawing me out. My shoulders sagged. I got up and wiped my tears.

"I can try my best, Sam." There was so much blood, but for him I would have to suck it up. "If u don't feel good by tomorrow morning, I'm taking you myself to the hospital. Don't argue with me. Okay?"

He took a careful breath that look like it rattled him to the core, starting from his ribs. "Okay, baby."

I watched as Sam reclined back on the toilet seat, his head falling against the wall as he watched me with rapt attention through those half-mast eyes.

The nasty gnash near his temple and swelling eye had me wincing.

He saw his reflection in the mirror and my deeply-etched worry, and mxaned his next words. "I'll be better by tomorrow, Anna."

"I don't believe you," I murmured, my face twisting as I gave him another once-over. This was bad. Really, really fvcking bad.

I knew my mom kept a first aid kit under the vanity. I rummaged through the cabinets with trembling hands and came across all the supplies I'd need. I unwrapped a few clean towels and pulled on some gloves.

Sam seemed more awake and alert by the second, compared to when I'd found him on the front porch, dazed with glazed eyes. And, maybe, since he was more conscious, the pain was tenfold times stronger.

Sam's head was turned my way as he clutched his middle, watching me run cold water over a white towel. "I'm going to wipe you first, before I disinfect."

He nodded weakly and a light streak of blood dribbled down his chin.

I halted midway, my pulse jackhammering. "Baby, do you need to-"

Sam merely grunted, before shifting so he could spit another mouthful of blood in the sink. He fell back on the toilet seat. I cringed inwardly at the blood, but didn't say anything as I opened the faucet and watched the pinkish color drain.

I filled him a cup of water and he took it wordlessly, standing up. He rinsed his mouth, but even the simple motion of gargling had him aching. I clutched a fistful of his shirt as I felt his pain like my own. My forehead rested between his shoulders blade, the one spot on his shirt that wasn't rusted with blood and I counted to ten under my breath, just like my therapist thought me to calm down my anxiety.

"I don't think I broke any teeth," he announced gravelly and I moved away when I felt his back muscles shift. I was a little pleased that his grin was no longer bloody as we shared eye-contact in the mirror.

He stared at me, waiting to say something. I didn't mutter a word – I couldn't. Not when I felt like my insides had climbed up and held my windpipes in a vicious grip, stopping the air I was trying to breathe from entering. I felt so much, yet nothing escaped me.

I said a silent prayer under my breath as I helped him sit back down on the closed lid of the toilet seat. He cursed softly in Italian. "You okay?"

I wanted to scoff.

Instead, I spoke low but it came out as threatening. "Do I look okay? Jesus Christ, Sam. I should be asking you that. I can't begin to tell you how much of a mess I've been this night. Worrying over you and feeling like I would break any second. Stay quiet and let me fix you now. It's the only thing that'll give me some peace of mind."

Sam curled a hand around my wrist, eyes gleaming with an unreadable emotion. "Ever tell you you're for me, Barbie?"

I sniffed, glaring at him. Annoyed that his sweetness was making me want to bawl all over again. "Yeah. You did. Earlier tonight before you left."

"Good. I fvcking meant it, too. Never say things I don't mean. Thought you needed to hear it."

"You're for me, too, Beer Boy."

"Beautiful. Now do my face, my sxxy little nurse, before I pass out from the pain. Wanna kiss you and hold you so bad."

I worked quietly over his dishevelled face, wiping under his swollen eye first and then gathering the blood near his jaw. My next destination was his busted lip and I cleaned all the blood dried near his chin, before going down to his neck. Sam didn't say a word as I worked on his open cuts, glimpsing me in that all-knowing way that he did.

"You're going to give me all the details of what happened, Sam, when I'm done," I muttered softy.

He did, however, hiss in a breath through clenched teeth when I dabbed the split skin near his temple. "Y-Yeah."

The eyes I loved so much, the ones I gazed into every night, were sad and tumultuous. The jaw I so lovingly grazed at nights was bruised and swelling nastily, and the mouth I longed and adored to kiss until I felt breathless and sweet all over was a split-open wound.

The helpless feeling trickled back in until it grasped me with razor-sharp claws. I was the one panting my apology now. "I'm so sorry, Sam."

Sam touched three fingertips to my chin, branding me. "It's okay, Jodanna."

But it wasn't okay.

I took a deep breath and yanked myself together with an imaginary bottle of glue and bandages.

After I cleaned his battered knuckles and wiped whatever remained, I shot the towel in the garbage bin. Sam was holding his ribs even tighter, exhaling short labored breaths between his gritted teeth. I was weak-hearted once again.

"Can you lift your arms so I can take your shirt off? I want to get a closer look at your ribs, Sam."

He shook his head, eyes glassy. "I feel like I'll pass out if I do. I...I have a few cuts there."

I cupped his face lightly. "I'm going to cut your shirt with scissors, okay?"

"If you want to see me naked, just say so, baby."

"Should I take you to a hospital?"

He shook his head again and a little bit of mischievousness bled into his gaze, despite the watery smile and red eyes.

I sucked in an even sharper breath when I ripped apart the tattered pieces of his t-shirt after cutting it with scissors. Sam's sides had minor cuts, as if someone had taken a pocket-knife and went at it animatedly. His tattoos weren't touched.

I cleaned them wordlessly with some more water.

My stomach churned and the need to vomit was held down with the knowledge that this was my guy and if I wouldn't take care of him, no one else would, and that would never happen on my account.

"Your lip is busted and so is the skin near your temple, but I don't think you'll need stiches, Beer Boy. Just some disinfecting, along with the wounds on your ribs. It might hurt a lot. You ready?"

"Yeah," he rasped. "Wouldn't be the first time I'm getting bandaged up. But it's the first time that it hurts like a motherfvcker."

"Hospital, Beer Boy?"

"Just you, Barbie."

I exhaled shakily, before nodding. "Right." I glanced at the spare towel. Should I offer him to bite on it when I poured the mixture over his cuts? "Do you maybe want to-"

Sam took the towel wordlessly. I picked up the disinfectant and a few cotton pads. Oh, god. This was going to fvcking burn.

He growled raggedly in pain, the sound slightly muffled by the fabric when I dabbed it over his wounds. I cooed to him softly, but to no avail. Tears had gathered in his eyes but not one fell down his face. He was so strong, that sometimes I forgot he could feel this amount of agony.

When the worst of it was over, I dressed his injuries properly. Sam was panting once again with his mouth open, his face screwed in fury. "I'm going to kill the bxstard who did this to me."

I gave him two aspirins and some water. Then I made him follow my finger and tracked his eye movement to make sure there was no concussion. Satisfied, I stripped my hands of the gloves and started washing my hands.

I just happened to catch a small glimpse of myself in the mirror above the sink. God, I was a mess. My hair looked like a rat's nest, the curls I'd done for tonight gone. My eyeshadow had creased and my eyeliner and mascara had leaked everywhere. And, to make matters worse, I had sweat beading my upper lips. I wiped it away instantly, shuddering at the gross sight. I wondered if I smelled bad?

This is what worrying over Sam did to me.

"You look beautiful," he rasped the opposite of my thoughts.

I shot him a sideways glance as I wet another clean towel. "You're just saying that."

"Come here."

Sam bracketed my waist with one strong forearm, hauling me into his embrace. I fell into his lap – practically melted – I should say, and wrapped my arms around his neck as he took the towel from me. His own arms did the same and he rocked us for a moment, my legs tightly winded around his hips.

"I almost lost you," I murmured brokenly into the crook of his neck.

Sam dotted butterfly-soft kisses across my hairline. "I'm not going anywhere, babe. You haven't lost me."

He squeezed me tighter to his chest, then winced at the pain it shot down his arms. I breathed deeply through my nose and touched my cheek to his bearded one. My fingers delved into the soft strands at the back of his head and I clutched with all my might. "I've barely had you and I almost lost you, Sam."

There were so many emotions running a high inside of me.

"I'm okay now. Anna baby, you're shaking."

I nodded and knocked his chin with my own as I pulled back.

I stared him square in the eyes, realizing that I had to tip my head back a little to look at him. I marveled at every six feet four inches of his height, appreciating the difference even when I was planted in his lap.

The soft vulnerable look in his eyes unravelled me and I poured out my feelings. "You do so much to me, you know?" My insides flutter whenever I'm with him. "When I'm not with you, I wonder when I'll see you next. Sometimes I count down the hours. When...When we're together, I forget about my surroundings and the time. It's just you and I. I...I need it to stay like that for awhile, okay? A long time if I'm being honest. I've had shitty luck with past relationships and it hasn't been good. With you, it's more than good. It's amazing. You give me so much. It's laughter. It's friendship. I can tell you about my day without worrying that you think it's pointless and boring. I know we've known each other for a short time only. But it's everything I could ever want and you give that to me, Sam. So I need to hang on to this feeling that I have with you. I know you need it, too. So, what I'm saying is I need you. So much. Please don't go around getting hurt. I've dealt with some much anxiety and depression in my past because of my dad's death, I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. You're kind of, you know, vital to me. Get it, Beer Boy?"

I was out of breath at the end of my monologue. Something in Sam's chest snapped in half and he crashed his mouth against mine in a bruising kiss, growling with the pain resonating in his busted lip.

His forehead against mine, his breaths fanned my face. "Fuck. Best thing ever. You take it all away, too. You know that, right? Being with you is nothing like ever before. It's good for me too. I'm holding on, Anna. I'm holding on just for you."

Hot tears leaked down my face and I laughed. They were happy tears and maybe tired tears. The possessive look on Sam's face grew more prominent, and he looked like he'd destroy anything that came in the middle of he and I. I loved that.

I framed his face. "I have so much to tell you, hon. I haven't been entirely honest about my past. But I have to tell you. Tonight. Tell me you don't hurt too much to have this talk."

He shook his head, mesmerizing eyes burning holes into mine. "I'm here. The medication is kicking in. I want to hear what you have to say. Lord knows I've waited long enough."

I kissed his cheek and held him there, feeling his bare chest against my clothed one. "Okay. And you need to tell me about tonight."

My head was suddenly yanked back as Samuel latched onto a fistful of my hair, tucking his face in the hollow of my throat. Breathing in my scent as if it calmed him. His teeth lightly nipped my skin. "Just remembered. I need you to admit something first, baby. Before I tell you what happened tonight."

There was an answering tug in my belly. Despite his battered state, I had no doubt the magic that Samuel could work bxtween my legs. With the smoky look he was pinning me with, it seemed like he would be working magic bxtween my legs with what he had bxtween his legs. I licked my lips. In my frazzled state, I was so down.

"Anything," I said. "Ask me anything."

Except I wasn't prepared for his next words.

"Did you date a guy named Joey Donald?"

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A/N's: Okay didn't mean another cliffhanger, but YAY an update! I'm sorry. I work 7 days a week so not much time to write! The next update will either be mid week, or on my birthday, the coming sunday!

QUESTIONS: What did you think of Kate? Nico and Kate? Sam's injured? Nate is shot? Sam finally asking Anna about Joey?!