Strong

Chapter 15

Jaden/Breaker POV

I watched her as we walked into her apartment. She was amazing and I didn't know what to say to her. Me! I never had a problem talking to girls but she was so out of my league that I was in shock.

She was so good and sweet and kind and strong and beautiful. I could never deserve her. I was a fuck up. I was dirty and evil. Everything that happened with Willa and West showed that, I thought as I touched where my ear should be. I kept my hair longer just to hid that but I didn't blame them. I was ashamed of the way I treated them and I knew that I deserved far worse than what they gave me. Just then my phone chimed with a text message.

"You deserve good things. You are not who you used to be and you are a good man." Willa had sent me. I smiled and shook my head. My little sister was a damn mind reader.

I knew that Petal deserved better than me but I was going to try to be a better man for her. To be good and to be who she needed. Someone she would be proud of.

When she shook my hand I could barely breath and when she said my name, my real name not my road name, I knew that she was the one for me. I knew that I was meant to be with this woman forever.

Now I just had to get her to see that. She and Margo showed us around the apartment. Joker and Blade grinned when they got to the guest room.

"See ya later!" Blade smirked as he pulled Joker in and slammed the door.

Dom and Margo chuckled while Petal wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"That's just gross." I mumbled and she nodded.

"Why?" Margo teased.

"He's my brother!" we both exclaimed at the same time which made Dom and Margo laugh harder.

I banged on the door and yelled, "Put some music on so we don't have to hear you doing it!"

I walked back to the living room as Margo and Dom walked to Margo's room and shut the door. Petal wandered off for a second but then joined me with a stack of sheets, pillows and blankets. She wordlessly started making up the couch for me. I just watched her like a creep.

"I can sleep on the couch and you can take my bed. I'm smaller and will fit better." she said as she finished without looking at me.

I didn't like that. I stood in front of her to force her to look at me. She looked up with a startled expression.

"I'm not sleeping in your bed unless you're in it with me and I know that it's too soon for that." I whispered and she blushed.

I smirked at her and continued in a louder voice, "The couch is perfect. Thanks for fixing it up for me."

I threw myself down on it and she looked conflicted for a moment before nodding.

"Ok, well you know where everything is. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you are hungry. I put out extra towels in the bathroom along with some men's shirts that Joker and Dom left here. Don't worry, I washed them. Have a good night." she said as she slowly walked to her room.

"Thanks. Good night, sweetheart." I softly called after her.

I took off my shoes and jeans since I usually sleep in just my boxers but I decided to leave my shirt on. I didn't want to offend or upset the girls. I then settled down on the sofa and fell right to sleep.

I was awoken abruptly by a cry a few hours later. I sat up and tried to get my bearings but then heard a whimper from Petal's room. Without thinking I rushed down the hall and burst it. I frantically looked around for any intruders and when I didn't find any, I refocused on the bed when I heard another whimper.

I spotted Petal curled up on her side. She had knocked the blankets on the floor and was shivering. She was obviously having a nightmare as she winced and jerked occasionally in her sleep.

"No, please." she cried quietly and I just couldn't take it anymore.

I ran to her and brushed the hair out of her face.

"Sweetheart, wake up. You're having a nightmare." I whispered as I sat on the bed and pulled her closer.

She cried again and I tugged her into my lap.

"Please wake up, Petal." I pleaded as I rocked her gently.

She finally awoke with a gasp and a jerk. She frantically looked around and I tried to look nonthreatening.

"It's ok. You are safe. You're at home. I'm Jaden, remember?" I softly said as she focused on me.

"What happened?" she asked after a moment.

"I heard you crying and I came in to make sure you were ok. I saw you having a nightmare so I woke you up. Sorry if I startled you." I explained and she nodded.

She crawled out of my lap and I frowned, not liking her not in my arms. She felt like home there. Like we belonged like that but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to push her.

"Do you want to talk about the nightmare?" I asked her and she slowly nodded.

"Bear and Shooter got Margo, Nat and I. They were forcing me to watch them beat them." she said simply.

She was trying to keep her guard up but a few tears fell down her cheeks and I couldn't help but pull her back into my lap. At that she started sobbing. I held her tucked into my chest while I whispered soothing words to her. After about five minutes she calmed down.

"I'm so sorry. This is embarrassing. I never cry like this especially to someone I just met." she pulled away from my chest and started to get up but I didn't let her go.

"Hey, it's fine. I don't mind and there is nothing to be embarrassed about. You are going through a lot and I'm happy to be your shoulder to cry on... literally." I replied with a smile.

She gave me a weak smile back.

"Do you want to try to sleep again?" I asked and she nodded.

I laid us both down together and kept my arms around her.

"I know that we just met but you know my brother and sister and you know that I'm safe so is it alright if I lay in here with you? Please? I swear I won't try anything.  I don't want you to have another bad dream. I just don't want to ever see you sad again." I asked.

"And you think that you can keep the bad dreams away?" she teased.

"From you? I fight like hell to keep all the bad things away. Nothing bad should ever touch you." I said with conviction.

She smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. You can stay." she agreed.

We moved until her head was on my chest and my arm was around her. For the first time in my pathetic life, I felt at peace. I would do anything to make sure that I could sleep like this for the rest of my life.