“I’m sorry about your parents,” I whisper.
“Thanks.They were good people.My dad was a mechanic, and my mom was a nurse.We were part of this little pack up north.It was tiny.Maybe three hundred people.My parents went out to get us something to eat the night we moved to a new town.A drunk driver hit them, and they never made it home.”
“Oh, my god, Jensen!That’s terrible.I’m so sorry.”
“It was scary, you know?I was in a new home, a new town, new everything.It was supposed to be our fresh start, but in the blink of an eye, I was all alone.”
We hold each other, lost in the past and our pain.
“I’m glad you had Miles,” I murmur.
“Me, too.I’m glad you had Mabel.And now you have me.”
I pull back, wiping the tears from my cheeks.“I read my records from the hospital.”
He seems surprised but doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to continue.
“I didn’t know my injuries were so serious.When I woke up in the hospital, I didn’t feel that bad.I thought Mabel was just stressing.I… I should’ve listened to you and Mabel.I should’ve trusted you.”
“The accident and everything after was a shock,” he says, trying to excuse how I acted.
“I know, but that was only part of it.I have a hard time trusting people, especially men.”
Jensen nods.“Because of your mom’s boyfriends.”
“Yeah.It’s just…I spent most of my teenage years fighting to be heard and have a choice.”
“And I took that away from you when I bit you.”
I nod, a lump forming in my throat.
“I’m sorry, mate.If there had been any other way?—”
“I know,” I interrupt him.“I know.I saw how bad it was in the reports.The broken bones and bleeding.”
“I thought I was going to lose you.I couldn’t…It would kill me.”
“I know.I don’t want to lose you, either.”
“You won’t.”
I step back, and my gaze falls to the cut on his side.“Oh, my gosh!I was supposed to be bandaging you up.”
I grab the first aid kit and open it, grabbing the antiseptic and bandages.
“I’ll be okay,” he insists.
I shake my head as I wash my hands.“We need to clean it so it doesn’t get infected.”I grab the antiseptic and a cotton ball and clean the small cut.“When do you have to go back out on patrol?”
“Midnight.I’ll be back around eight.In time to bring you breakfast in bed.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.I love taking care of you.”
“That’ll take some getting used to,” I admit.
Jensen smiles.“We have time.”
