Breaking Mr. Black

08| Help Me

ROSE

Sean yanked me away from the door by the elbow, a yelp tumbling out of me as he did so. Then the sound of the door slamming shut on Amira's face rang in my ears. He wasn't done there. He proceeded his manhandling by pushing my back into the now closed door, glaring at me with fire forged in the pits of Hell, "You will not let her in," he ordered lowly.

I leveled his glare with one of my own — or at least attempted to. Seeing him this way scared me and feeling the tight grip he had on my arm had me shaking in fear. He must have seen my wince, eyes flickering down to where his left hand gripped my right arm. With lightning speed he stepped back, letting go of me completely but it was too late, a bruise was already forming; the joys of being pale-skinned.

"I-I..." He struggled, tripping over his words. Apologies weren't known to come from him. It made sense that a person who barely apologized for anything would find it difficult to even utter the word sorry.

"It's fine," I attempted to reassure, shrinking a little as I rubbed the arm, "You didn't mean to, I get it," but my brain didn't get it.

There were so many memories that I had stored away at the back of my brain. They were kept in a box that gathered dust over the years since I had never found a reason to open it. Sean's actions — even though it were in the heat of the moment — opened that box and scattered those memories. I closed my eyes in an attempt to stop the flashbacks but the attempt was futile. The only way was to break the chain of memories that would play one by one. I had to occupy myself somehow.

"Did you know she was coming?" I managed to ask. My voice came out thick and my eyes burned with un-shed tears. My lack of control over my emotions showed Sean exactly how weak I was and gave him so much more leverage on me.

He ran a large hand through his tousled hair, "Yeah, fuck! She had mentioned something about it on Sunday but I distinctly told her not to. Then a few minutes ago she began blowing up my texts and calls. Basically all my notifications."

"Is that the reason you wanted to hand me your phone," I whispered, making certain Amira couldn't hear me through the thick wood of the closed door. It was rude of us to have a conversation while she stood out there but I wasn't certain what else to do. Sean had already slammed the door on her face, it didn't take a genius to realize that if I let her in, they would probably try to kill each other.

"Well, yeah," he breathed, running a tattooed had through his wild jet black hair once again, this time tugging at the roots, "I figured if I didn't reply to her or entertain this stupid fucking behavior then she would leave me alone. Turns out, she was already in the fucking state," pointing a hand toward the door he whisper-yelled, "You've got to help me get rid of her."

Holding my hands up in mock surrender, I shook my head and said, "No can do, Black. This seems like a you problem, don't make it a me problem. On the bright side, I don't have to spend the rest of the day with you."

"She's your friend, I'll bring her here every day just so she can see you and I'll tag along. You know, to be the King of Jerks. Might as well live up to the label you've given me," he retorted, backing me up against the door once more. His arms caged me in, warm breath dancing across my skin and invading my airways with it's minty scent, "Help me, Rose."

The way my name rolled of his tongue nearly had me caving. My breath hitched and my palms became clammy, "I-I..."

"You?"

Amira pounded her fist against the door to which I jumped in surprise, breaking out of whatever trance I had found myself in, "I'm letting her in," I hissed, placing my palms against his hard, broad chest and pushing, "before she causes a scene outside."