True Colors (The Masks #1)(46)

His voice hitched making my eyes glisten. I leaned towards him and placed my lips on his cheek.

“I’m sorry for not being more careful.” My voice shook. “I didn’t know I was such a threat to them. I only asked a few questions. I just wanted to help Indie. She’s scared, Eric.” My lips bunched together as I tried to ward off the tears. “I don’t know what Liam’s doing to her, but it makes me feel sick. She’s suffering and I want to help her, but I don’t know how.” I was losing the tear battle. They streamed down my face in a torrent of liquid anguish. The attack scared the life out of me, and I knew I should back away, but what about Indie? What did she face every time she was alone with Liam? If that guy who attacked me was the one Liam was talking to on the phone, then he’d obviously given Indie a beating last weekend as well. “How can I walk away and forget what I’ve seen? What kind of person does that make me?” I blubbered.

Eric caressed the tears from my face with the back of his fingers. “Caity, I need you to stop and go back to the beginning. I want to know every single detail of your week.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “But can I ask you to do one thing first?” I grasped his free hand, threading my fingers through his. “Can you stay with me tonight?” I swallowed. “I don’t want to be on my own.”

His thumb was soft as it brushed over my cheekbone. “I wouldn’t leave even if you wanted me to.”

I breathed out a relieved sigh.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I led him up to my room without saying a word. At first he seemed reluctant, but it only took a gentle tug to get him onto my bed. Snuggling against him, I laid my head on his shoulder. His reticence vanished as he wrapped his arm around my back and rested his chin on my head.

“Now talk,” he whispered.

I told him everything I could think of. He knew some of it already, but I noticed his grip around me got tighter every time I spoke about Liam. When I mentioned the murder, he squished me so hard my stomach hurt.

“Sorry. Sorry.” He pulled away, trying to get off the bed.

“You didn’t hurt me, I’m okay.” I wrapped my arm around him, trying to hold him in place, but he was stronger. Standing up from the bed, he ran his hand through his hair and paced to the window. “I want to kill that guy for hurting you.”

“It’s over, Eric. I’m alright.”

“No, it’s not. He said it was a warning. Caity, you have to stay away from this.”

“But what about Indie? I can’t just ignore what I saw. Liam needs to be stopped.”

Eric spun with a fierce look in his eye. “I want you to stay away from Liam. You have to promise me you will.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.” I felt bad saying it, but I told him I’d never lie.

His face crested with anger and sorrow. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“I won’t. I’ll be more careful, more aware.”

He looked unconvinced.

“Eric, tonight scared the shit of me. I’m not going to do anything careless, I swear.”

This calmed him, but he still wasn’t satisfied. “I still think you should call the police.”

“I know...and I will, eventually. I just want to figure out a little more first. They’re not going to follow a lead on some teenage girl’s hunch. I need some sort of evidence.”

He shook his head. I could tell he was annoyed with me. I so didn’t want to lose him over this, but I couldn’t just walk away from what I’d seen. I wanted to. I wanted to run for the hills...or Wyoming, but I’d seen too much now and I couldn’t walk away. I’d never be able to live with myself if I turned my back on people who so desperately needed help.

Curse my good soul.

Why couldn’t I just be a selfish cow?

Eric’s agitated pacing was starting to drive me nuts. I hated anger. It stressed me out. We needed to end this conversation for the night or we’d never get any sleep, something we both probably needed. I did, anyway. Exhaustion was tugging at my brain, the aftershock of my attack making me queasy. I just wanted to lie in his arms and pretend none of this had happened.

“Please don’t be mad with me,” I whispered. “There’s nothing more either of us can do tonight. I’m safe,” I said the word safe as emphatically as I could. “Please, Eric, just come back to bed.”

He stopped with his hands on his hips, his expression a mixture of longing and regret. “Caity, I was expecting to sleep on the couch.”

Without warning, tears filled my eyes. “Please don’t,” I breathed. The idea of sleeping alone left me feeling bereft. I blinked at my tears, embarrassed by my fragile state.

With a soft sigh, Eric stepped back towards the bed. “Don’t cry. It’s okay.” Carefully untying my shoes, he placed them on the floor. He then took his off and lay down on the bed beside me.

“Thank you.” I kissed his cheek. Grabbing his hand, I rolled away from him, pulling his arm over me and tucking it beneath my waist. He kissed the back of my head and shuffled forward so our bodies melded against each other. I ran my fingers down his bare forearm and closed my eyes. His solid form against me eased my rattled nerves, helping me to put the trauma of my day aside.