Bad Seed

I nodded, but I couldn't take my eyes off the bags.

“How much did it cost?” I asked.

He walked over to me and sat on the edge of the bed, then took my hand in his.

“Theresa, stop worrying. I know the past few days have been a whirlwind of terrible things, but you’re fine here. You can take a long hot shower or bath and change into something clean. Or you can lay here for the next week in exactly what you’re wearing. Whatever you want to do.”

“I’m sorry. I guess being with Ike all that time did more damage than I thought.”

“Stop apologizing and let me help you. I will never try to control you like he did. Ever,” he said.

I nodded my head, knowing deep down that he was telling the truth. A hot shower did sound nice.

I took his hand and slid from the bed. I was still unsteady on my feet but leaning against Grant was easier than I figured it would be. He held onto one of my hands and wrapped his free arm around my waist. He steadied me but didn’t guide me. He waited to see which direction I would move in before stabilizing my motions.

It felt good to be in charge of my life.

He leaned me against the edge of the kitchen counter before he left to get the toiletries he’d purchased for me. I drew in a deep breath before I stood up, making my way over to the bathroom. It was beautiful. A massive walk-in shower with a removable shower head and rails to steady myself against if I became unbalanced. There were holes with small jets in the walls, and I ran my fingers over them to try and figure out what they were.

“The shower converts into a steam sauna,” Grant said.

I jumped at the sound of his voice and my balance faltered. Grant reached out to steady me before reaching in to turn on the water for me. I hated feeling so jumpy, but I knew it would take a while to settle my nerves with all that I’d been through.

He held out the bag of toiletries to me and I whistled as I peeked inside. He hadn’t bought me the local drug store brand, no, he’d bought me top of the line salon quality things. I raised my eyes to his and smiled.

“You didn’t.”

“You deserve it after what you’ve been through. In the corner of the shower, there’s a seat for you to sit on if you want to steam after you shower. Take your time. You’re in no hurry to be anywhere. And when you get out, we can figure out dinner from the menu and find something on television.”

“I don’t know why I feel so weird. All of that sounds wonderful, but I feel this—”

My hand came up and rubbed against my chest as my eyes began to water.

“Theresa, look at me.”

“I can’t—”

“Please look at me,” he said.

My eyes fluttered u

p to his as a tear washed down my cheek.

“With everything you went through at the hands of someone you trusted, you’re allowed to feel this way. It’s totally normal. All I’m asking is you relax in a hot shower. That’s it. And whatever you want to have when you get out, you’ll have it.”

I nodded, unable to speak as my emotions closed around my throat. Grant kissed my forehead before he left me alone in the bathroom, and I turned to fiddle with the shower nozzles. I stripped away the clothes from that night and tossed them in the trash can. I didn’t ever want to see them again. Then I grabbed the things Grant bought for me and stepped into the hot stream of water raining down over my battered body and scrubbed away the memories of the past couple days.

CHAPTER 24

GRANT

Theresa was asleep, curled into the crook of my arm. It was nearly one in the morning, and I couldn't fucking sleep. She’d fallen asleep during the movie we were watching on television, but I was painfully aware of her emotional disposition toward me. I hated seeing her so uncertain about things. I hated the distance growing between us. She had been so strong and sure with her family, but now that it was just the two of us, she was second-guessing everything. But I made her a promise. I told her I wasn’t leaving her again, and I meant that. Even though I knew she needed time to process what she’d gone through before we could move forward, I still wasn’t going to leave her side. I loved her too damn much.

She’d taken an hour-long shower before turning the thing into a steam session. By the time she’d finally gotten out of the bathroom, the wrinkles on her skin were so deep they were casting shadows. We ate dinner in a combination of silence and awkward conversation and the movie wasn’t any easier. She started out on the other side of the bed from me, and as she grew more tired, she got closer.

Now, she was softly snoring against my chest with her leg tossed over my hips.

“Mmmm. What?”