Chapter Nineteen

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Wes~

A text from Blake flashed across my phone as soon as I pulled up in front of the house

Blake: wtf I heard you beat someone's ass in the East garage on campus?

Wes: It was Colt. He attacked Gracie. I just pulled up to the house and I'm about to bring her inside. Don't say a fucking word and call her roommates to let them know she's staying here tonight.

Blake: Holy shit. Yeah sure thing. Got it.

I jogged around the front of my truck and helped Gracie out of the passenger seat, placing her feet on the ground gently, but keeping my arms around her.

She was completely rattled, shaking slightly as we made our way to the front door that was crowded with people. I was used to constant parties at our house and usually had no problem with them, but tonight was different. Tonight Gracie needed privacy and quiet.

Lowering my shoulder, I pushed through the crowded living room to my bedroom and guided her inside, leading her toward my bed as she sat on the edge.

"Give me just a sec to get rid of all these people." I said, getting very little response from Gracie who was still a little dazed and out of it.

I made my way into the livingroom and silenced the speaker that was booming music throughout the house.

"Everyone get the fuck out." I yelled, watching people instantly move toward the door. Multiple eyes shot toward me with looks that weren't surprised or shocked. I was the asshole of the house - the player with a bad temper and no heart, but I didn't care. I didn't give a damn what they thought as long as they got out of my house.

Blake appeared over my shoulder, scanning the crowd for Gracie.

"Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's in my room. Yeah I think he scared her more than anything, might have a little bit of a concussion, but she didn't need to go to the hospital - just cuts and bruises."

"Thank God...Well I called Chad who was staying the night at Maggies. He filled the girls in on what happened and told them Gracie was staying here. And I'll give you one guess as to which roomie wasn't thrilled with the sleeping arrangement." Blake said with a grin.

"Let me guess." I grumbled, knowing that Amanda was most likely on her way over.

"Mandy's on her way here as we speak." Blake confirmed.

Dammit.

"Well let me go get Gracie situated and comfortable, I'll let you handle Mandy...you seem to be good at that." I sneered, getting a playful shove from Blake as I walked back toward my room.

I gently opened the door and found Gracie sitting just where I'd left her with a nervous look and glazed over eyes as she anxiously tugged and fidgeted with the hem of my shirt.

"Why don't I get you a clean shirt to change into? I wore that shirt all day." I offered as I moved toward my drawer, pulling out the softest shirt I owned.

Gracie nodded, but still hadn't said a word as she followed me into the bathroom. Her cheeks and eyes were still puffy and tear stained and the sight tore me apart.

"Take all the time you need in there Gracie. I've got some hydrogen peroxide to clean those cuts on your hands and face whenever you're ready."

"Okay." She mumbled taking the shirt from my hands and closing the door behind her.

I knew I should have walked away and given her privacy but I couldn't force my legs to move. My body practically clung to the door frame wanting to know if she was okay on the other side of it.

It was a level of concern and protection that I had never experienced before. I felt responsible for her, like she was mine to take care of.

"Wes?" She called out in a meek voice from the bathroom that made my body spring to life.

"Yeah?"

"I think you might need to clean these with peroxide too." Her voice was small and shaky as she cracked the door open, standing in just her shorts and sports bra.

Tears welled in her eyes as she lifted her chin and displayed the claw marks that were starting to bleed that stretched across her chest. She looked like she had been mauled by a wild animal and it made me want to hunt Colt down myself.

Colt's lucky he's in jail right now.

"Holy shit sweetheart, come here." I said controlling my anger and focusing my attention on her need for first aid instead of my need to pummel Colt's face.

I doused a washcloth in peroxide and dropped to my knees so her chest was nearly eye level with me.

"Here darlin' use my shoulders to keep your balance, I'm gonna get you all taken care of." I soothed, letting her grip my shoulders and I ran the rag over the deep scratches that started at her collarbone and stretched toward her shoulder.

Gracie lifted her head with her chin still quivering, letting me wash the cuts on her chest.

"God Gracie, I'm so sorry." I said, hating the sight of the soft skin on her neck looking so red and angry.

"It's not your fault. It's mine..." her voice was small and raspy and she closed her eyes to try and fight back tears.

"Don't say that." I said firmly.

"But I should have let you walk me to my car. He never would have touched me if you were there."

My heart swelled beneath my chest at her words and I loved that she associated me with safety, but I hated that she was trying to blame herself for what happened.

"Open your eyes and look at me Gracie."

Once those big beautiful eyes opened, tears escaped and rolled down her cheeks. Using my thumbs I wipes at the tracks of tears and cupped her face gently as I spoke.

"None of this was your fault. The only person to blame is Colt and he's in jail right now because of it. You did nothing wrong Gracie. Nothing."

She nodded in my hands, accepting my words and looking at me with a look I couldn't quite read. It was fearful and worried as if she were trying to ask me to save her with her eyes.

"How about we get you in this bed. I'll put on a movie or something and we can just relax." I said rubbing my thumbs back and forth across her cheeks.

"Yes please." She whimpered in my hands.

I followed her to the bed, watching her crawl inside wearing nothing but her panties and my tshirt. The sight of Gracie half naked in my bed did something to me and my body had a visceral reaction as I watched her tiny body settle against my sheets and pillow. It wasn't lust or desire, which is the feeling I was used to and familiar with. This feeling was different. It was strong and magnetic, like I was being drawn to her. I didn't want to touch her, I needed to touch her - I needed to feel her skin against my skin the same way that I needed to breathe.

She nestled her head onto my pillow and closed her eyes. I'm sure she was exhausted and I started to rethink the movie idea, considering that she might need to sleep instead.

"I can let you sleep in here and go crash on one of the couches if you're tired." I offered, but I hated the suggestion as soon as I said it.

Gracie shot up to a seated position with her eyes wide.

"Please don't leave." She begged in a sad voice that broke me and made my feet move toward her instantly.

"I don't want to be by myself and I know if...if you're around...that means...no one will...I won't have to...I'll be." Gracie was starting to become hysterical, sniffling and hiccupping against her sobs as she tried to form a complete sentence.

"Easy Gracie, take a deep breath sweetheart. I won't leave. I'll lay with you as long as you want me to." I said, crawling in the bed next to her.

She clung to my chest as soon as I lowered myself down beside her and I gladly wrapped my massive arms around her small body.

The longer we laid like that the more I felt her tense muscles slowly unwind. Using my hands I started to gently rub and massage the muscles in her back and neck, feeling her muscles start to go lax beneath my hands.

"That's it Gracie, relax. I got you." I whispered against her hair.

When she finally  gave in to sleep, I felt her entire body weight, which wasn't much, drop against me as her breathing became slow and even.

For some reason being able to coax Gracie to sleep in my arms felt like a huge accomplishment and I let time slow down for a few minutes as I memorized the feeling of her body against mine. It was peaceful and made my body relax beneath hers.

I had never been a fan of cuddling and was usually heading out the door as soon as I could peel the condom off, but this was different. Gracie was different.

I closed my eyes and felt myself drift slightly letting myself get lost in the scent of her hair when I heard someone knock on my door.

Are you fucking kidding me? 

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