She has sealed her own fate with this act. I know now that she needs me. She is too innocent to roam and live in this city alone. This is what I kept telling myself. I am doing this for her own good and not just for my own selfish reasons. Her being mine is for the best. I will at least make sure no harm comes to her.
When I turn around she’s sitting on the edge of the sofa with her hands in her lap. She’s wringing her fingers together. She looks shaken and nervous.
“Phone,” I demand. I hold my hand out and wait for her to hand it to me. I think she is going to fight me on this but she reaches into her back pocket, pulling it out. I grab it and throw it right into the black stones that encase the fireplace. It shatters and I momentarily feel relief. I look back to her, waiting for her wrath, but she sits there looking up at me. I grab her hand and place it in mine, letting her know everything is going to be okay. She intertwines her fingers with mine. I think that it calms both of us as we sit there in silence for a moment.
I move forward, knowing exactly what I can do to calm down. I reach out and caress her face. Her skin is the softest thing I’ve ever felt, reminding me of a rose petal. Unable to stop myself, I lean in, letting my mouth brush against hers in a kiss as soft as a whisper. It’s only meant to calm us both down. She lets out a small whimper before she slides into my lap and wraps her arms around me tightly. She pushes her mouth against mine hard, like she’s seeking comfort from it. It’s then I realize that she understands the depth of what she’s done. She starts to shake a little in my lap. I’m sure the thought of what could have happened has started to race through her mind. The kiss breaks off as she buries her face in my neck. I hold her tightly and stroke her back in an effort to ease her anxiety. Wanting her to know I’ve got her.
“It’s fine,” I reassure her, letting my hand roam up and down her back. I remind myself that she’s a lot younger than me. She still has a lot to learn about life and people. I wish she didn’t have to learn about the real world but there is no stopping it. I want to try, though. Shield her from everything the best I can. She doesn’t have to know about all the things that go bump in the night when I can make sure they never get near her. I would do anything to keep the soft sweetness that clings to her, a rare trait that I know you don’t see in people anymore. Is it so wrong of me to want her to live and see the world through rose-colored glasses? I know I can have all the crazy thoughts that I want, but Delilah is never going to let me keep her in a bubble.
“I’m sorry,” I hear her whisper against my neck. I suck in a deep breath while breathing her in. How can I enjoy both sides of her equally so much? I am loving this soft sweet side of her but I know before long that her stubborn streak will be back again. I know I will never have to choose because I am going to get a taste of both, whether I like it or not. I am going to make sure I enjoy both.
7
Delilah
I breathe in the smell of him, bringing me the comfort I need at the moment. It wasn’t until I looked at the expression on his face that I really started to understand how wrong I had been to give a stranger my location. I was disappointed in myself that it hadn’t crossed my mind to think it was dangerous. I can’t even think about what would have happened if Drake hadn’t found me today. I would have been at some hotel alone when that creep came to bring me my suitcase. The thought scares the crap out of me, making me shiver. Maybe everyone was right; I wasn’t as ready for the city as I thought I was. I mentally chastise myself for my naïveté.
I hold on to Drake, knowing that if I’m close to him nothing bad will happen to me. I should be pissed that he smashed my phone into smithereens. It was strange that I liked his protectiveness of me. His possessive nature makes butterflies take life inside of my stomach. I can’t make sense of how much I like his protective nature over me but when my parents do the same thing I get all worked up about it.