I gazed down at Slavvy's battered body, my chest tightening with every wound I saw. The dim light of the room threw harsh shadows across his face, accentuating the cuts, bruises, and swelling that marked him from the fight. My hands shook slightly as I reached out, gently cleaning the blood and grime from his skin, my fingers tracing the contours of his chest and shoulders, memorizing the man who had risked everything for me.
Slavvy's eyes fluttered open, blue dimmed by pain, locking onto mine. "I'm fine, Tess," he rasped, voice low and rough, each word edged with suffering.
I shook my head, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "No, you're not," I said, firm but tender. "You're hurt. Badly." I dabbed at a cut along his cheek, careful not to press too hard.
His jaw clenched, frustration flickering across his face. "I said I'm fine, Tess," he growled, but the pain in his eyes betrayed him.
I inhaled slowly, my fingers moving with practiced precision as I cleaned his wounds. "Even if you were, I wouldn't let you ignore it. You sit down, and you let me take care of you."
For a long moment, he stared at me, his intensity almost suffocating. Then, slowly, he nodded, his shoulders sagging as he eased onto the chair, his movements stiff, each one careful as though he were balancing on broken glass.
As I finished tending to his injuries, he reached out, gripping my hand lightly. "Tess… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put you in danger."
I shook my head, tears finally spilling over. "This isn't your fault," I whispered, voice trembling. "It's mine. I've been pulling you into this world of ours, and I can't protect you from it."
He leaned closer, eyes blazing with fierce determination. "No, Tess. You're not responsible. I am. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe."
A shiver ran down my spine. The depth of his intensity, the raw need to protect me—it was overwhelming. I knew he would never stop, no matter the cost.
We sat in silence for a long stretch, the weight of the recent attack pressing down on us. My mind kept drifting to school—back to normal life, if that could even exist anymore. It was a foolish thought, I knew, but one I couldn't shake.
"Slavvy," I finally said, voice soft, almost inaudible.
He looked up, gaze sharp, attentive. "What is it, Tess?"
I swallowed, heart hammering. "I want to go back to school."
His eyes widened, shock and disbelief flashing across his face. "What? No, Tess. Absolutely not," he said, his voice firm but edged with panic.
"I have to," I insisted, my own voice gaining strength. "Even if only for a little while. I need to see friends, family… just to know things are okay."
Slavvy's jaw tightened, eyes narrowing. "Tess, we were attacked. It's not safe," he said, low and dangerous.
"I know," I replied softly, "but I have to try. Please, Slavvy."
His expression softened slightly, but the worry didn't fade. He looked at me, searching my face as though trying to weigh the danger against my resolve. "I don't know if I can—"
"Please," I interrupted, my voice breaking. "Just this once. I'll be careful."
The tension between us was sharp, thick like the air before a storm. Finally, after a long pause, he exhaled, shoulders slumping in reluctant concession.
"Fine," he muttered, voice low. "But I'm coming with you. No exceptions."
I felt a flicker of relief, though the heaviness in my chest remained.
The following day, stepping outside into the harsh morning sunlight, I felt a pulse of awareness, like electricity running through my veins. My senses sharpened, attuned to everything around me—the hum of distant traffic, the beat of the city's life, the faint scent of gasoline and dust.
I spotted shadows moving suspiciously near the park. Figures dressed in dark suits, their movements deliberate and controlled—men of the mafia, surveilling, planning, waiting. I melted into the cover of the trees, my eyes tracking them as they shifted, cameras in hand, notes being taken.
Then the crowd's attention snapped toward me. A little girl, no more than nine, pointed shakily. "It's her!" she shrieked. Cameras flashed, phones recorded, and I realized the moment I had stepped outside had already been documented.
I froze, hair disheveled, body bruised, Slavvy's shirt torn from the struggle. The sensation of being watched prickled my skin, but I forced myself to move with purpose, weaving between the trees, silent and alert.
Later, at the police station, the fluorescent lights flickered above as the officer's eyes pinned me to the chair. "So, Tess, can you tell me what happened?" he asked, pen poised over his notebook.
I hesitated, glancing at the sterile walls and the hum of the ventilation. "I… I don't know what you mean," I whispered, careful.
The officer's patience thinned. "We know you were with Slavvy at the mall. After you left with him, where did he take you?"
I shifted uneasily. "I—"
Before I could answer, the officer continued, pressing harder. "You know Slavvy's wanted for questioning. You're not protecting him by staying silent."
Then my parents arrived. My mother's hands clutched my arms, eyes wide with worry. "Tess! What happened? Are you hurt?"
My father's expression was stormy, his jaw clenched. "What's going on here?"
The officer raised a hand, trying to maintain authority. "Sir, we—"
"Enough," my father said, voice sharp, cutting him off. "She's been through enough. You'll get nothing from her."
I swallowed hard. "I wasn't kidnapped," I said, words tumbling out. "I went with him willingly."
Shock rippled across the room. The officer's eyebrows knitted together. "So… you left with him on your own?"
"Yes," I said, voice shaking. "I went with him because I chose to."
The tension lingered. My mother's eyes brimmed with worry; my father's jaw remained tight, but his anger softened slightly.
"Let's take her home," my mother said quietly. "We can discuss everything later."
Walking out of the station, sunlight searing my eyes, I felt the pulse of the city again, every sense alert. Danger and opportunity mixed in the air around me. And I knew—wherever I went next, Slavvy would be there, watching, protecting, ready to strike down anyone who threatened me.
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