The Captain & Coyote (John Price Romance)

Chapter 40 - A Little Venom

(Songs for this chapter -
Silence - DAVE THOMAS JUNIOR
I Wasn't There - NATHAN HAWES
We Go Down Together - DOVE CAMERON & KHALID)

PRICE POV

She's been tossing and trying to speak in her sleep. I don't want to touch her to wake her up but she's very distressed.

The cut on her face isn't bleeding but it badly needs stitches. Chloe messaged me a few hours ago and said if she's still not responding to me by tonight that Venom will come over and see if she can get through to her.

She's shocked awake on the lounge, knife in hand. "It's alright gorgeous I'm here, you're safe."
I say looking over my shoulder at her wounded little face. I haven't left my place on the floor next to her all afternoon.

She lowers the weapon, but is still trying to get her breathing under control. She sits up looking at me, still angry and hurting but she isn't shaking and her hands aren't tensed up so that is some progress.

I offer her a bottle of water with a straw so she can manage easier, she looks at me hesitantly before she slightly nods in thank you taking the bottle from my hands.

She notices my bloodied and bandaged hand and her gaze changes ever so slightly as her eyes move between my hand and face. She is still worried about me, god I love her so much.

"I'm okay darling, I did it to myself don't worry about me." I calmly say to her concerned eyes as I look back away from her. I've been sitting at a specific angle so I can see her reflection in the television, I know she's angry at me but it won't stop me from taking care of her.

"We went to rescue you from that training facility but you were gone before we got there, I took a swing at the wall in anger." I scoff at myself, idiot.

I see in the reflection her hand reaching out towards me but the closer she gets the more anxious her body becomes. She stops once her hand becomes twisted up and starts shaking pulling it away and clutching at her chest. She wants to trust me, to be close to me but her instincts won't let her, that hurts me a lot. Hurts us both.

She moves a little closer to me on the lounge making my face shift around to hers. She destroys me with that gaze. Those hazel eyes are so powerful, a hazardous fading green smattered with fiery brown. The control she has over me with her eyes alone.

"Darling I'm so so sorry. I know my words don't make up for what I've done but I will make it up to you. Whatever I have to do, as long as it takes, I won't give up."

She drops her gaze down to her drink trying to avoid the subject, but that is just as hard for her to do. She can't swallow properly and coughs a lot just trying to take a sip.

She curls back into her ball, her safe haven, but she is facing towards me not away. It's progress.

We spend the next hour or so mostly in silence, her hoarse breathing the only constant sound. I say the odd thing trying to get a response of out her but she doesn't react.

"Are you okay gorgeous? Can I help you?" I ask scurrying to my feet as she gets up off the lounge. She can walk but it's slow and unsteady like she hasn't done it before. I want to follow and help her but she's glaring at me so I don't.

She disappears into the bathroom, I'm not getting through to her like I hoped. I message Chloe telling her to send Venom over, I hope Aliya will let her help, she's our last option.

I hear something smash and I'm at the bathroom door in the blink of an eye.
"Aliya I'm coming in." My voice is panicked and now it's my hands that are shaking.