it starts and ends with the jordan's

Chapter 16

[Hero's POV]

I'm heart broken. What I just witnessed has ripped me to shreds and I have have no way of crawling back out. Jo was hurting herself, on purpose. If I hadn't woken up to get a drink of water who knows how far tonight could have gone.

I have never seen the woman who makes my world spin in so much pain. I want to ask her what happened and I want to kiss away all her tears but I know it's deeper than that. This is a cut that has been healed and sliced back open before.

I need Jo to wake up. I need to know what was going through her head. What made her do that to herself. She doesn't deserve this or whatever pain she is battling. No one does.

I just hold her unconscious body in my arms on the bathroom floor. I sweep away her hair from her wet face and I keep her pressed against me. If she's with me I will know she's safe from hurting herself, physically at least.

I try to drift off to sleep with her so I can escape this pain for at least an hour but I can't. The tears won't stop falling from my eyes and my heart manages to break into smaller pieces, one by one, littering my body to leave my rib cage hollow.

How could I be so oblivious to all her pain. How long has this been going on for? I cant wrap my head around the fact that I could have been apart of the problem. The thought of that makes me want to run, run far away so I won't be able to hurt her.

I stare at the perfect girl who's sprawled on the floor next to me with stained cheeks and burns covering her thighs.

How could she do this?

I lay here for the next two hours clinging to her body. I cant tear my eyes away from her thighs. I want to heal her. I want to make her pain flee her soul and polish her perfect heart of gold.

Two hours later Jo starts stirring and squirming in my arms. She moves her body so she's laying in my arms bridal style. She brings her face to my chest and grips my shirt with her tiny fists.

I try to cover my sobs by nuzzling my nose in her hair and gripping her body as close to mine as possible.

"Jo..."

"Not now Hero please I just need silence." She says barely audible. Her throat is strained from the crying and her voice is raspy from her nap.

I cant bare to see her like this. She's in so much pain and I have not the slightest clue what or who is causing it.

"No Jo I'm sorry but I need you to talk to me." I say as softly as possible. I don't want to make her pain worse but I can't handle not knowing.

"Hero it's nothing."

"Jo I'm trying so hard right now to keep calm and not yell and scream and smash shit but i need you to let me in. You cant say it's nothing after what I just walked into." I say sternly.

"It was him." She struggles to say under her breath. Who's him?

"Who's him Jo?"

"The guy... who tried to-"

"What do you mean it was him what did he do!" I am practically screaming now but I try to lower my anger so I don't scare Jo.

"He was talking to me." My eyes widen. What is she talking about?

"When was he talking to you?" I say running my fingers through her hair.

"Before i left your room."

"How was he talking to you Jo? I was there and he's in jail."

"He was talking to me Hero!" She's getting agitated but I don't blame her.