RUSSO - unedited

42

Kendall Ranley

"I could've carried it on own." I defend as Lorenzo sets my suitcase at the end of the top of the staircase. It's been about a week since Micha's surprise attack I got cleared to leave the hospital.

"You're still resting, we're being careful regardless on how stubborn you are." He mutters and I roll my eyes. I appreciate the care but I don't need to be treated like a glass doll.

Lorenzo rolls the black suitcase to the end of the hall, opposite of his master bedroom. My eyebrows knit together in confusion. I'm in the guest room?

"What are you doing?" I call out and he stops in his tracks and looks back at me. "I'm not staying with you?"

"I just figured after everything that happened you'd, you-"

"You think I'd want to be away from you?" I cut him off and he nods to answer my question.

"You thought I cheated and from what I heard you, you weren't there Kendall. Like your soul left and I don't know Amber said things and- I just don't want you to be overwhelmed." He says with care and I smile softly at him.

"I don't want to be away from you." I shake my head in dismissal. "After everything, I don't think I want to be away from you ever again." I say truthfully and walk to him and grabs the suitcase to put in his room. Well, our room now I guess you could say.

"Come on, let's go to bed." I grab his hand and pull him inside. I quickly change and steal Lorenzo shirt along with a pair of sweatpants. Why wear my own clothes when I have Lorenzo's?

I sink into the mattress and engulf myself in the covers before Lorenzo pulls me to lay on his bare chest. "Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, Enzo. Please stop worrying." I say and he sighs.

"I thought I lost you." He states and my heart crumbles into a million pieces. The 5 simple words carries so much emotion.

"But you didn't. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." I try and relax him but he's been so tense the entire week. I don't blame him, so damn much has happened. The disaster dinner with his parents, the cheating scandal, the week without one another, and finally the bullet that made its way through me by the gun that belonged to Micha Sanzo.

"I had nightmares, you know? After you found the bra; when we didn't talk for a week." He breaks me out of my thoughts and I rotate my head to get a good view of him.

"Since I almost died, will you tell me what happened in them?" I put on a convincing smile and his chest vibrates with a soft chuckle which quickly fades when he begins talking.

"It was the same one every night. You didn't yell at me or confront me at all, everything was perfect. That was until you came over and handcuffed me to a bed and fucked Micha in front of me." I gasp at what he's explained to me and his jaw clenches, clearly not a fond memory.

"This happened every night?" I ask for clarification and he nods. I could only imagine what that would be like, if I had dreamt of Lorenzo doing that I don't know what I would do.

"I'm sorry." I whisper and pull him closer.

"I'm just glad that your back and safe." He says and his arms move tighter around me. I draw pictures against his skin with my finger while his fingers tangle in my hair. "Promise you'll
never leave again." He breaks the silence.

"I'm here, always." I promise and his body finally relaxes and I'm grateful, I hated seeing him so tense and frantic.

"Always?"

"Always."

I close my eyes and thank God that I found my way into Lorenzo's arms again. There could be a full on war occurring but if I was with Lorenzo I would feel like the safest person on the planet. He's my safe place.

"You almost died." He blurts out and my eyes shoot open. "I almost lost you." The tone he's speaking in is like he's telling himself this, he's shocked by it. He almost lost me and he still can't process it, he's in disbelief.

"I almost died." I say, clearly emphasizing on the 'almost' and plant a kiss on his chest. "You've got me baby." I say sweetly.

"I'm in love with you Kendall Ranley."

//
I wrote this chapter while listening to Exile by Taylor Swift and I got EMOTIONAL.