𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

Idiocy

"I'm not Rollins shadow and he's not mine. I don't sell girls to brothels. I don't con helpless kids out of their money."

"Look at the floor of the Crow Club, Kaz," I say gently. "Think of all the dark games run there. Did those people get what they deserved?"

"Life isn't ever what we deserve, Emris. If it were. . . "

"Did your brother get what he deserved?"

"No." Anger flashes in his eyes and I know I've crossed a line. "We were fools."

"You were children. Was there no one to protect you?"

"What's there anyone to protect you?"

"No. VanEck told me my father sold me to a Brothel here. I just got lucky my ship went down."

"Almost drowned and stuck at sea for a week. How can you see that as lucky?"

"Because I met you. You protected me." I smile.

"You bleeding through your bandages tells me otherwise." I look down and see the blood seeping into the counter.

"I have to get Nina to fix this one."

"I can help you."

Butterflies fill my stomach. I nod and gather the strips of fabric in the sink. I lift myself onto the counter and hand him a cloth. I remove my blouse and I am left in my bra and slacks. I hand him the shears and he steps between my legs.

"Where do we start?" I ask, sheepishly.

He nods to my leg and he lifts it on the counter and I roll up the pant leg. He placs the cold shears between the towel and my leg. With one quick snip, the bandage falls and he casts it aside. I watch as he trembles. I thought he wasn't afraid anymore. He quickly loops the towel around my leg and secures it twice.

He awkwardly moves my leg and steps between my knees again. He takes a breath before trying to cut the bandage at my waist. He can't get the shear under it. I watch as he shakes and places two fingers against my skin. He seems to flinch and I watch him carefully, not moving.

"I'm here." He looks up at me and I smile. "See it's me, it's okay. My heart is beating see." I place my fingers to my neck and tap the rhythm. He seems to relax and he continues to cut the bandage.

"Just keep talking."

"Okay. Do you remember the day you stole me this?" I place my hand to the green gem at my neck. "It was rainy and cold. We were starving. And I had just taught you how to steal."

"Different story." He gasps.

"You know in the hall when you kissed me? That's the first time I ever felt truly happy." He continues to focus on the bandage but I can tell he's listening. "You said you weren't scared anymore. I wasn't scared either. But I am now, scared of losing everything I've worked for. Do you know it took me a year to get my first customer? After that, they all started rolling in." He discarded the old towel. He was shaking. I close my eyes and still myself.

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm." He leans close and his mouth is at the shell of my ear. I suppress a shiver as his warm breath sends my heart in a flurry of rapid beats. He quickly reaches behind me as he loops the towel around my waist. I expect him to step back when he ties the knot but when my eyes open he's still standing there, watching me.

I draw in a sharp breath as he lowers his head closer to my neck. He braces his hands on the counter beside me. His warm breath tickles my collarbone. His lips barely brush my skin and he lurches back. He stumbles into the wall and puts a hand on his head. I stand and look at him, concerned.