The Captain & Coyote (John Price Romance)

Chapter 18 - Back in Favour

(Songs for this chapter -
Too Sad To Cry - SASHA ALEX SLOAN
Trading Places - JUKE ROSS
About You - ALEX HEIMANN)

COYOTE POV

My heart won't stop aching.
It's all I can feel, the pain overwhelms everything else my body is going through.

I'm crouched by the water, under a bridge, just staring at the current.

John has this ability to pull everything out of me, my feelings, emotions, opinions, secrets, things I'd never tell to anyone. Even the real me, who ever that is. He made me feel seen and heard as Aliya not Coyote. I felt I could just be myself and he would be fine with it, even if I didn't know who that is, he does.

He made me cry, I haven't cried actual tears in over two years. I don't know why he affects me so much, I don't know how he got in and touched my soul but he did. We had a beautiful moment together, I will never forget our breakfast this morning.

But I won't be seeing him anymore, I can't risk it. I'd rather die than put him in a position where he could get injured. I knew I was going to be at risk doing this, I accepted that. I do not accept putting someone as kind, good and as lovely as he is in danger simply by being close to me.

I sigh and tuck my head down to my knees, closing my eyes. He called after me with so much emotion I had to run, if I saw his face I would of stayed. A certain someone would of worked out who I am and I would of had to leave anyway.

He's too wonderful in every way and I'm just not good enough. I can never expect happiness, it is not something I deserve.

"Hey pretty lady, a friend of mine said you needed a lift?" I raise my head up to see Moose.

I stand and move straight into hug him.
"Coyote you look awful what the fuck happened?! He says over my shoulder.

I couldn't walk back to the Disposal looking like this so I found an internet cafe and sent Big Ed a message asking him to send Moose out to get me.

He ushers me up the stairs behind us to his car, Blade is there waiting too. He opens the front door for me the second he see's my beaten face. It must look pretty bad now that the bruising has come up.

We all climb into the car but Moose doesn't drive off, he just looks at me.
"Did Price do this?" He asks angrily.

"NO! God no, he'd never." I retaliate straight away, defending him to the teeth.

"Xanders men, jumped us outside of Iris's."
I choke on my words as I say them.
"They were going for me but Price defended me and got stabbed." Blade leans up from the back seat at the mention of his name.

"I raced him back to his base, he's okay but I couldn't stay. If something happened to Price I couldn't.." My words drowned out by my sorrow. Blade puts his hand on my shoulder, Moose grabs my hand. I've told them about my background and what happened.

"Coyote why don't you tell him. I think he'd be a lot more understanding than you think." Blade says from the back seat.

He's just wearing Price coloured glasses. At the end of the day he's still a Captain, failure and inadequacy are things he wouldn't tolerate.

"Maybe, maybe not." I say back as Moose lets go of my hand and starts the truck, beginning the drive back.

"Why did Xander send his asshats after you?" Moose asks still looking at the road.