per·sua·sion

69.

Hero

"Have you changed your mind? I mean, I understand if you have. Or can I not go?" Jess looks down the bill of my hat, hiding her face.

"No, I haven't. I want that more than anything, and I feel like you would love London, and the police said you're free to go; it's just..."

I rub the back of my neck, hesitating as I finally say the words I've been dreading since the police officers knocked on the door last night.

"I don't think you'll see your ring soon." I keep my eyes on her, knowing that now I have no choice but to tell her everything once again.

"Jess, it's about Bradley; he's—"

"I don't want to talk about him, and I don't care! I hope karma dry fucks his ass with a cactus," she mutters, picking at her fingers, and even though this is a serious conversation, I can't help but chuckle.

My girl has a way with words, and I love her for it.

But this is why I wanted to keep it to myself. She says she doesn't care, and I know he's a trigger for her, almost as worse as the one she has for her mum, but she does care. She cares more than she'll honestly admit to herself, but it's not because of him but because of his daughter. He's the only thing she has.

"I just want to go to London, I want to be with you, but I need that ring," her voice goes quiet as she bites her lip.

She's trying not to cry.

"I'll replace it," I say as her bottom lip trembles.

I know it's not that easy, and it's probably the wrong thing to say, but I want to stop her from getting hurt right now. She only gave it to them because I promised her she'd get it back.

"It's not about replacing it...it was more than just a piece of jewelry to me! It's the moment, the gesture, the reminder I got when I looked at it. No one has ever done that for me. It was the only thing I had to remind myself." She stops, embarrassed.

"Hey, don't shut down on me, please."

"That I'm good enough to be yours," she quickly wipes her eyes before her tears fall.

I place my hand under her chin, lifting it and connecting her eyes with mine. "You know, ring or not, you are enough, you will always be enough, and you will always be mine," she inhales, her eyes closing, relief washing over her.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

****

"Are you sure this is okay?" I ask, running my thumb over her bottom lip, "You know the doctor said you should take it slow. You know, walk before you run."

I take in the sight of her, her champagne-colored hair cascading over the front of her body in loose soft curls from where she had brushed some of them out earlier this morning.

Her lavender bra is peeking through, slightly see-through. I glance over her shoulder at her matching lace knickers on the floor.

"That's not an accurate expression since I can't do either," she says as my eyes fall back to hers, and she lowers herself onto me.

"Jess...you know I hate it when you joke like that; I don't want to hurt you; you know how I get sometimes." I swallow as she adjusts to me, filling her.

"Less talking, more doing," she smirks

I reach for her bra as she raises her arms, pulling it from her body and tossing it aside.