Her Broken Wings - FINALLY Completed

Chapter 24

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yep, just let me grab my phone," I muttered distractedly in Sam's direction. A spark of excitement ignited within me. We were going to Paris. It was like a dream come true. But the circumstances that led to this moment were more akin to a nightmare.

I could still hear that man's voice in the back of my head. I knew him. The memory of the pain he had caused me still lingered on my skin. My fingers trailed unconsciously along the scars on my stomach. I remembered his glee as he trailed his knife along my pale skin, putting just enough pressure to cut cleanly through the skin. I'd been too terrified to even scream. Instead I'd just lain there, fire burning lines across my stomach. I shuddered at the memory.

Feeling a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, I leaned back into Sam's touch. His warm chest slowed my pounding heart and calmed my nerves. Everything was going to be alright. It had to be.

"You okay?" His comforting voice in my ear made me sigh.

"Yeah. I will be."

I shrieked as Sam swung me around in his arms, spinning me in the air. Giggling uncontrollably, I tried to get him to put me down.

"Come on, beautiful girl. Everything is going to be fine. Stop worrying." Placing me gently back down on the floor, Sam leaned down and pecked a kiss onto my nose. I grinned at his silly antics, my chest growing warm and fuzzy.

Sam led me down the stairs his fingers intertwined with mine. When we got to the bottom, I headed into the living room to say goodbye to Zoey and Shawn. The two of them were chuckling quietly when I walked in. Zoey noticed me first and ran up to plow me over with a hug. Laughing, I hugged her back with the same fervor.

"I can't believe you're going to Paris without me. This is so unfair," Zoey exclaimed with a pout.

"Move aside Pinkie. I gotta say goodbye to the little sprite." I smiled and jumped into Shawn's open arms. His words were quiet in my ear. "Try not to worry. We've got everything under control over here."

I smiled, my body relaxing at his comforting words. "Thanks. Oh, and don't forget, Remy likes-" Shawn cut me off with a hand over my mouth.

"No more. You've already told us like five times. Remy will be spoiled rotten here with Zoey and I."

"Thanks. I'm going to miss you."

Shawn gave me a playful shove. "You're gonna get me all weepy, sprite."

"Aw the poor baby's gonna cry," Zoey teased. "Are you sure you're not gay."

I burst out laughing as Shawn sent both Zoey and I a glare. Ever since I had told Zoey about how he'd had to act gay in front of my family, she'd been teasing him about it. Seeing Shawn's fake pout, Zoey and I jumped on him, giving him another hug.

A throat cleared behind us and I jumped away. Turning around I saw Sam waiting by the door with a familiar face. Smiling, I ran forward to give Aiden a hug. His arms remained stiff around me and I instantly wondered what was wrong.

Before I could say anything he spoke. "Rose. I'm so sorry. I should have known. He was my own damn partner and I couldn't even see ..." Adrian's obvious distress made my heart hurt. He had no right to feel guilty. Not about this.

Shushing him, I looked straight into his eyes as I said firmly, "It was not your fault. None of this was your fault. Don't you dare feel guilty about what happened to me. It had nothing to do with you." I could feel Sam smiling ruefully beside me. This conversation seemed eerily similar to the lecture I had given him about his own guilty conscience regarding what had happened.