Nothing to Lose (BWWM)

Five

Vincent growled. "Those orders..."

As if a lightbulb had lit up in her head, Imani smiled and returned to her desk, packing her stuff up. "Hold on a minute." she said, putting on her jacket and grabbing her bag. She took the stack of papers and rejoined him. "Let's go."

Vincent reared back. "I beg your pardon?"

"Let's go. Wherever you're going, I'm coming with you."

"No you're no-."

"Yes, I am."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "No. You are not coming with me."

"Unless you tell me where you're going and help me with these papers, I am going wherever you're going. Besides, I doubt it's anywhere of importance."

Vincent took a step towards her. "I am going to see my dying mother in the hospital and you are not coming with me." He spat maliciously and for the first time since she had met him, he made her freeze in fear. She gulped. "Do you understand?" he said through clenched teeth, his deep voice vibrating throughout the room. Imani nodded and stepped to the side letting him walk. "You can go home and finish that." He muttered over his shoulder as he walked away.

She let out a breath that she wasn't even aware she had been holding. She felt horrible. She shouldn't have pushed him too far. As evil as he was, she should've known when to stop.

Vincent quietly entered the room, shutting it gently when he saw that Lily-Ann had her eyes shut. She looked incredibly peaceful. Her skin was pale, her breathing shallow and her body frail. It hurt Vincent to see her in that predicament.

He sat on the seat beside her and took off his jacket, leaning back and stretching his long limbs.

He peered outside, the scenery outside allowing his thoughts to wander. Vincent opened his briefcase and retrieved his sketchbook, flicking through some of the drawings that were inside. The black and white images were Vincent's way of expressing himself, his thoughts and his feelings.

With his graphite pencil in hand, he let his mind wander, the results pouring out onto the paper. For a few minutes, he sketched, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Lily Ann stirred as she turned to her side, eyes fluttering open. Vincent was so consumed in his drawing, he didn't hear her movements. She watched her son in awe, amazed at the focus he showed and how intricate the drawings were. "That looks beautiful." She whispered, shocking him and making him jump. He instantly shut his sketchbook and shoved it into his briefcase. "You didn't have to-." she began.

"How are you feeling?" he asked instead.

Lily Ann saw what he was doing and decided not to press the issue. "I'm feeling better today. You're here." She reached out and held onto his hand. "So that's made the day ten times better."

Vincent smiled at her, wincing as he felt how fragile and light her hand was. He leaned down and kissed it softly. "Seeing you has made my day better too, madre."

She shakily sat up and pushed herself back so that her back was against the pillows. He instantly stood up and fluffed her pillows, wanting her to be as comfortable as she could be. Her eyes travelled to the ink on his left wrist. The beautiful arabic scripture. "I remember when you got that tattoo." she laughed as he sat back down. "Your father went absolutely crazy. He said that you were turning into a rebel."

"Over one tattoo." He said.

"He was ready to pay all that money to make you have it removed." She reminisced.