Beneath This Man(164)

I nod into his shoulder and link my ankles around the small of his back. I feel him pull my hair over my shoulder and rest his palm on the nape of my neck, holding me as tight as he can without inflicting further pain. My boobs are squished to his chest, my back completely exposed, but I couldn't care less. He strides to the door and releases my neck to open it, before replacing his hand securely at my nape.

'Okay, baby?' he asks, walking down the corridor into the summer room. I nod into his neck. I'm far from okay. I feel like I've been lying directly on the sun, all of my skin burnt away, exposing raw flesh. 'John!' he yells. There's a succession on shocked gasps, all sounding more shocked than when I was carried in.

'How's the girl?' John's low voice is close by.

'How does she f*cking look? Get a cotton sheet from the cleaning quarters.'

John doesn't retaliate to Jesse's shortness.

'Jesse, is there anything I can do?'

I hear a female's voice full of alarm and her heels clicking on the floor of the summer room as she tries to keep up with Jesse.

'No, Natasha.' he replies harshly. I can't even muster up the strength to raise my head and throw her a filthy look. Is there anything she can do? What? Like f*ck him again?

'Ava?' Kate's fretting tone assaults my ears. 'Oh, f*cking hell. What have you done, you stupid cow!'

'I'm taking her home.' Jesse is not stopping for anyone, not even Kate. 'She's fine, I'll call you.'

'Jesse, she's bleeding!'

'I know, Kate. I f*cking know!' I feel his chest rise under me. 'I'll call you.' he appeases her, and I don't hear her again, but I do hear Sam soothing her, his usual chirpy voice layered with concern.

I know we're getting close to the entrance hall because the cool air starts to slowly spread across my back. It's a welcome sensation.

'Jesse, mate, I didn't know.'

Jesse halts abruptly and silence falls, all concerned chatter coming to a complete halt as I hear Steve's voice drift into my ears. I squeeze Jesse's body with what little strength I can find, and he nuzzles my neck.

'Steve, you want to be thanking all that's f*cking holy I've got my girl in my arms, because if I didn't, the cleaners would be scooping up your remains for a f*cking year.' Jesse's voice is acidic, his heart pounding wildly.

'I....I...' Steve stammers and stutters over his words. 'I didn't know.'

'No one told you she was mine?' Jesse asks, clearly shocked.

'I...I assumed...I...'

'She's MINE!' Jesse roars, jolting me in his arms. I whimper from the flash of searing pain that his movement instigates and he tenses, pushing his face into the crook of my neck. 'I'm sorry.' he whispers. I feel his jaw ticking against me. 'You're a f*cking dead man, Steve.' He stands still for a few moments and I know he's glaring at Steve with murder carved all over his face. I feel responsible.

'Jesse?' John's rumble breaks the screaming silence. 'S'all good. Priorities, yeah?'

'Yeah.' Jesse picks up his feet again and the slow building cool air is suddenly sharp and pelting at my back. He walks slowly down the steps.

'I'll get the door.' Kate's says as her heels clatter down the steps.

'I've got it, Kate.'

'Jesse, stop being such a pigheaded twat and accept the f*cking help! You are not the only one who cares about her.'

I'm squeezed against him. 'My keys are in my back pocket.'

Kate's hand brushes over my jeans as she negotiates the keys out of Jesse's pocket, and I smile on the inside at my fiery friend living up to her reputation. My eyes open and catch Kate's.

'Oh, Ava.' She shakes her head and bleeps Jesse's car open.

Jesse turns back towards The Manor. 'Everyone needs to f*ck off back inside.' He doesn't want anyone to see me. I hear the crunching of gravel under footsteps as Jesse waits with me in his arms, ensuring everyone has gone before he releases me from his body. 'Ava, I'm going to ease you down, you need to turn onto your side and face the driver's seat. Can you do that?' he asks softy. I loosen my grip of his neck to show my willingness and be begins slowly lowering me down into the car. 'Don't lean back.'

I shift slowly on the soft leather until my shoulder is resting against the seat and I'm facing the driver's side. Fucking hell, it hurts. He then lays a light sheet over me before shutting the door softly without even attempting to get the seatbelt over me. My head falls against the seat and my eyes close of their own accord. In no time at all, the driver door shuts and Jesse's scent invades my nose. I open my eyes and adjust my vision until I'm confronted with green, pitiful eyes. I feel pitiful. I'm a hopeless, pathetic waif of a woman who has caused all of this chaos, pain and aching because I was trying to prove a point - a point I pray to God I've made successfully because if I've put myself through all of this, put Jesse through this and he still doesn't get it, then it's finished. Over. We can't do this to each other. The thought makes my heart rate slow.