His Sunshine | ✓

Chapter Twelve - Healing Kisses

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Reece's POV

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After watching me work for a few moments, Layla sighs softly and places her small, soft hand atop of my own bloodied and bruised ones. I bring my eyes up to meet hers as she whispers, "Let me do it."

I don't object as she takes the cloth from my hands. "Lay down." She murmurs, and I do as she says, twisting around so that I'm lying along the bench. I move my arm out of the way so that she can get a better look at my cut. She begins cleaning it carefully. It stings a little, but she is being incredibly gentle.

While her right hand works at cleaning my cut, her left rests over my stomach, her palm touching my bare skin. My skin burns in the places she touches. But it's a good kind of burn. It's the type of burn that makes you feel cold once it's gone. The burn slowly spreads through my body as she works, and I keep my eyes on her the whole time. I watch the concentration in her eyes and the way she lightly bites down on her bottom lip as she cleans my side.

I suddenly feel myself heating up for a different reason entirely as my mind flashes back to what I saw in the alleyway. My blood runs hot with anger. Not at Layla. Never at Layla. But at those guys in the alleyway. I heard what they were talking about. What they were going to do to her. My blood boils just at the thought.

"I had told you to stay inside, Sunshine." I murmur, unable to keep my thoughts contained. My body tenses as I remember the things those men said. Their conversation continues to circulate in my head as my fists clench at my sides.

"I wanted to help," She says softly, looking up at me from beneath her long lashes. Her emerald eyes meet mine and I untense slightly. She's here and she's okay. They didn't hurt her. But they could have.

I sigh in frustration. "I know you did, but what if I hadn't been there? You could have gotten hurt." My voice is slightly strained as I speak. What if they had-

"But I didn't, Reece. I'm okay." She stops my thoughts short, her hand moving to my chest to rest over my already pounding heart. She looks into my eyes for a moment, trying to calm me.

"No, Sunshine!" I know I'm shouting at this point, but I can't seem to stop. "Those bástards would have hurt you! They would have laid their hands on you without your permission because people like them don't care! If I hadn't been there and that happened... I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you, Sunshine." I sit up now and I can't meet her eyes.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Reece, I-"

"You don't know that!"

"Maybe not!" She's shouting now as well, standing up and taking a couple steps back, "But I'm believing it because that's what keeps me sane. You think I don't know that my life was at risk not fifteen minutes ago!? I am well aware, Reece!"

I stand up too, taking a step towards her, "And it's all my fault! If I had just dropped you home, none of this would've happened!"

"If you had dropped me home, those guys might have found Ariella by herself instead! Ever think of that!?" She raises her eyebrows, her arms out wide.

"Alright, fine, maybe that's true. But maybe they would have left her alone. Maybe if you hadn't come to dinner tonight, this could have all been prevented. Or better yet, if I had just stayed out of your life completely, you'd be safe, at home without all this stress that I've put on you." I'm not telling the truth. I don't want to go back and not become friends with her. That's the last thing I want.