Lovers of Yesterday

Chapter 25 • Lie

Lynch

Ryder was silent behind me. I knew she'd seen a few of the last texts before I had a chance to delete them. I shut her phone off and leaned over to set it on the nightstand.

When I turned to look at her, she just tired. There was no real shock on her face which makes be believe something similar has happened before. I wanted to go find the bastard. I wanted to hurt him just as much as he hurt her.

She laid back down on the bed. I brushed her hair out of her face, gaining her attention. "He isn't going to touch you, Ryder. Not if I have anything to say about it."

She rolled onto her back and stared up at me. "I don't want you to put yourself between me and my issues. You shouldn't have to worry about me. I... I need to handle this on my own."

I frowned and leaned over her. He eyes widened as she stared up at me. "You don't need to handle jack shit alone. He's been hurting you for a long time. I'm gonna sound like a dick saying this but I don't think you're strong enough mentally or physically to get rid of him. I've seen how you act around him. You're terrified every time he comes 'round."

"No-"

I cut her off and leaned closer to kiss her bruised cheek. "Lie to me again. Lie to yourself that everything's ok."

"Lynch-"

"Do it, Ryder. Tell yourself he won't hurt you. Tell yourself he won't use your insecurities against you." I knew I was pushing it but I needed her to see that she'd only get dragged back in.

Her breathing was shaky and labored. "I don't- Lynch, I- I can't- I'm scared."

I pushed more. I didn't want her to go through what I watched happen to my mom. "Ryder, listen to me. Tell yourself he's not going to use you. That he won't break you even more."

She shook her head. "He will. I know he will. But I can't leave. He won't let me. He fucks with my head. I don't know why I stay."

I didn't say anything else. I gingerly dropped my weight onto her but braced an arm so I wouldn't crush her. With my weight on her, her breathing started to level out. Her arms wrapped around my waist and squeezed tight.

"I told you before and I'll tell you now, you have to trust that I'll protect you. I won't let him hurt you." She tilted her head back to look up at me. "I want you to stay with me for a while longer. I don't want you going back to your apartment unless I'm with you. He's makin' threats against you and I don't want to give him an opportunity to carry them out."

Her hazel-gray eyes dropped from mine as she nodded. Her hand twitched on my back as she thought of something. "What about my stuff? I can't keep wearing shorts. It's getting colder."

"Then I'll take you over tomorrow. We'll get what you need."

She nodded again. I began to lift myself off of her now that she's calmed down some but her arms tightened around me.

"Can you stay like this for a little while? It feels nice," she whispered.

"Sure, sweetheart. I'm gonna roll off you some, though, so my weight isn't entirely on you."

She hummed but she was already starting to drift off to sleep. Like I said, I stopped holding my weight and rolled off her slightly so I was more on her side. I wrapped my arm under her shoulder and her arms released around me to rest on my elbow.

Her breathing quickly evened out and her body relaxed. I brushed my hand over her hair, smoothing it out. She leaned her head into my palm. Slowly so I wouldn't wake her, I lifted myself out of the bed and pulled the blankets over her. They almost completely hid her head. She tilted it back so her face was poking out.

Clenching my fist from reaching out to her, I turned and left. I left the door open so I could keep an ear out for any movement while I finished putting the guest bed together. I was able to get most of it done before I made a bowl of soup for Ryder. I just needed to get a mattress and sheets on it.

For the next thirty minutes I was able to make the bed and set up some more furniture. I was just starting to unpack the last of the boxes when I heard a noise from my room. I left the box where it was and got up to go see what it was.

When I poked my head in, I could see that Ryder had pushed the blankets off of her. She was gasping as she rolled over. Another nightmare. It was just like the one she had at Alexandria's apartment.

I walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. The jacket she was wearing was slipping down one of her shoulders. She was crying again. I leaned over her again and brushed my thumbs over her face to get rid of the tears. She winced when I pressed too hard on her bruise.

It was enough to rouse her from sleep. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on me. Instead of saying anything, I curled an arm under her waist and rolled onto the bed with her landing on top of me. The jacket rode up so my hand landed on her skin. She shivered and curled closer to me.

"Lynch?"

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart. I got you."

She fell silent and her fingers picked at the collar of my shirt. Releasing her, I sat up and pulled my shirt over my head. I've never slept with a shirt on. It makes me too hot. I laid back down and pulled her back to me.

"Um, Lynch?"

I hummed in response. "Why'd you take your shirt off?"

I squeezed her closer. "I get too hot with it on. I normally sleep in just my underwear but I have a feeling that'd make you too uncomfortable."

"Oh, ok."

"Go back to sleep."

I closed my eyes to attempt sleep myself. With her next to me, it seemed to come easier than it has in the past.

• • •

I was woken up to something moving. I cracked my eyes open to get used to the light and looked down. I first saw a strawberry blonde mass of hair. When I looked lower, I saw smooth, pale skin. Skin? Fuck.

I lifted my head some more, trying to locate my jacket. Since when did she strip in her sleep? I was afraid to move my hand from her back. I didn't want to wake her up and she was so warm. The contrast of her pale skin against my tanned skin enthralled me. Fuck, I'm going to hell.

I pulled her closer, finding the jacket stuck on her hand. She groaned and nuzzled her face into my neck. I moved my leg from in between hers so hers were in between mine. Tangling one hand into her hair and pressing my fingers into her waist, I fell back asleep instantaneously.