Bear with Me (#2, Completed)

15. You, me and the truth

SCARLETT

The beat of his thudding heart soothed me, releasing me from the fear that had clenched a tight fist around my chest until I saw him open his eyes. My head was nestled on his torso, refusing to pull away- too scared that if it did, he was going to be gone again.

"Well, if I was dead, then I was in heaven already." He chuckled, pushing himself up from the filthy floor that he was lying on.

It had been at least a few hours since we were thrown into the small, dirty room that we were in. I couldn't help but think that I was having a deja-vu. It was only earlier in the day that I woke up in another room, much like this one, after those two guys kidnapped me. All I could remember was trying to run away before they knocked me out, and then there was nothing- just coming to my senses again in this horrible place, with an unconscious and bleeding Callum next to me.

As he lay there on the ground unconscious, his clothes soaked in blood and his face missing that infuriating usual smirk of his, the idea that there was a chance he was dying made me feel like my whole world was going to shatter if I lost him. Just the mere thought of that was like someone had punched the air out of me.

But I couldn't lose him. I wasn't going to allow it. I needed him.

My thoughts made no sense as I barely knew him and yet, deep down, I could sense that losing him would be like losing a piece of my soul.

"Were you worried about me, Flame?" Even if I couldn't see his face, the cockiness in his tone was enough to imagine his smug grin. And he's back!

I wanted to smack him for scaring the shit out of me- he didn't get to play tough guy and act like it was no big deal or that I was overreacting.

"Of course I was. And I still am- you are bleeding. If we don't get out of here on time...." The words got stuck in my throat like a lump that obstructed my breathing. I couldn't bring myself even to finish the sentence. The tears in my eyes were trying their best to escape but I fought them back, refusing to let him see me fall apart.

But instead of making another joke about it, he pulled me in and wrapped his strong arms around me. "Hey, it's going to be fine. I promise! I will never let anything happen to you-- and for that reason alone, I am not planning to go anywhere anytime soon. It will take a lot more for you to get rid of me."

His words were so genuine that I could feel them in my soul. My whole being shivered as he brushed a strand of hair from my face with his fingers. In the most surreal and inexplicable way, at that moment, I knew that no matter what, Callum was always going to protect me.

"It's all my fault," I whispered with a trembling voice.

"It's not your fault, mmm...." A deep sigh escaped his lips as he held something back. "Flame. I knew you were in danger and I wanted to help you out but this was my choice. The men holding us now work for your boss but I will get us out of here, don't worry."

He sounded so confident that I wondered if he knew something that I did not. His voice sounded so reassuring that I found myself believing him for a second.

Until my common sense kicked in again.

I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I had to point out his injuries to him. Maybe he didn't even realise that he was shot multiple times. Fuck, thinking about this made my eyes prick with tears.

"You are injured, Callum- you need to rest."

The silence that settled between us was comfortable and yet it had a note of secrecy to it. The way he looked at me, like he was hiding something from me, had me feeling uneasy. I already bore my soul to him the previous day just to find myself regretting it later and I was anxious about what else was still lurking amongst all the unspoken truths between us.