My Last First Secret: Niall Horan (ON HOLD)

Chapter Sixteen

"I am sorry I saw you naked." He breathed in my ear.

"S'okay." I croaked. "Why did you push me away after we kissed?" I knew it was a risky question, especially now. 

"What?" 

"You heard me." I mumbled. 

He sighed. "I am not pushing you away now." He's a sneaky one. He pulled me closer to him, kissing the side of my head.

He gently played with the necklace around my neck. We were on our side, my back was pressed against his front. His touch sent shivers down my spine, he took the small chain between his fingers. 

"You wear it." I could hear the smile in his voice. One that made crinkles by his twinkling blue eyes.  I knew he meant the necklace, and that brought a small smile to my own face. 

"Haven't taken it off." I whispered. It was barely audible but I knew he heard me. 

His long fingers roamed my body, I knew he was looking for any more scratches. I flinched slightly when he unintentionally pressed down on a bruise. He slowly slipped his big shirt up to my belly button, revealing four dark finger marks from Micheal. 

His lips parted slightly when he found more marks from him, the agonized look back in his eyes. I half expected him to push me away again, to shut me out. I was surprised when I felt his plump lips on my skin. 

He kissed everywhere there was a mark. From the wreck on my head, to the cut on my leg. I smiled at his gentle gesture. His lips skimmed my back, barely touching the scratch so it wasn't painful. I felt safe with him, comforted.

"Don't ever try to protect me again." He breathed heavily, frowning against my skin. He moved his head to my waist again. His lips lingered on my waist before he laid back down.

"I wasn't going to let you get hurt if I could do something about it." I said, turning over to see him. My eyes were still glassy with tears, I blinked them away. Betraying me, they ran down the right side of my red face. I knew I was an absolute mess. Hair included. I don't know how he could stand looking at me. We sat up.

His blond hair was pushed in every which way. His eye was shutting slightly as it swelled from Micheal's hit. I cupped his face in my hands, rubbing my thumb under his mark. He closed his eyes. I touched his broken lip, and wondered how it didn't hurt him to kiss me. My chest tightened, "But it still happened."

"Don't you dare worry about me." He said suddenly, glaring at me.

"Well I am." I said snottily, glaring back. Maybe I was acting like a brat, but it was true. I didn't care if he cared about his black eye, because I did. No matter if my condition was worse, he still was hurt. He got up abruptly and pulled me along with him.

He set me in front of the mirror, and stood behind me. "Look at you!" His voice raised, he motioned to the girl in the mirror. It didn't look like me. Her hair was knotted together, her eyes were droopy and dark. She looked scared, like she was ready to dash at any moment. He pulled my shirt up to my belly button again, as if to prove a point. The same dark bruises.

I pushed the shirt back down and tried turning to him. He grasped my wrists and growled at me. His touch was still as light as a feather, but his eyes scared me. "You almost got raped because of me. Don't put any thought into my damn eye." 

"Sorry for caring about you." I said through gritted teeth, probably only making the situation worse. "It was my decision."

"And you made the wrong one." He said, looking down at me. "I can take care of myself, I don't need you." My brows scrunched together, and I stepped away from him. Of course he didn't.  It felt like hundreds of bricks fell on top of me. I don't know why his words hurt so much.