Always, Tulip

▫️ Thirty-three

Grey's pov

There was movement on my right and I discreetly reached for my weapon in the right pocket of my pants only for my eyes to fly open when I found it missing.

I was in a room, much worse on a bed and I wondered how I had fallen asleep on work. My men were no where in my vicinity, confusing me even more.

I turned to my right, my vision blurry though I could tell a woman was resting beside me, her hand grasping mine. Then some flashbacks hit me.

Mission, an ambush then an explosion.

My tulip.

I sat up all of a sudden, my brain processing everything so quick and through the silence, fear rose on me when I heard a sniffle.

I twisted my body to the sound, not caring much about the pain in my chest. Familiar warmth seeped into my arms and my heart shattered.

My sweetheart.

With shaking hands, I hesitantly reached for her hair, slowly clearing her face to me. I felt like I'd broken a valuable piece of glass when I saw her face.

She was asleep, her head lay on the edge of the bed while her hands dropped from my arms. The sun's rays fell on her face, beautifying her features even more but that was not what caught my attention.

There were tears in her eyes, even though shut, the drops continued to streak down her cheeks. I stretched out yet again to feel her face and wipe the tears away but the pain in my chest limited me.

I huffed in frustration when I couldn't even move my own body. I painfully watched the tears fall to the sheets on the bed and when I placed my hands on the spot, it was soaked.

She had cried for a while.

I thought back of what could have upset her that much, what I could have done, what I might not have done for her. Then I suddenly remembered our parting words.

I didn't say it.

This time I stretched out with all my might to feel her face, to cup her cheeks into my hands, to wipe away the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

A loud noise accompanied the sudden movement that I had to fall back on bed in a groan though I didn't let go of her face.

"You're awake!" Someone exclaimed from the room and I lifted my eyes to see Reece and Enzo hovering over the left side of my bed.

I looked back at Ginelle's face then at their expressions that marred relief and I narrowed my eyes as I sat up. I let go of her face before turning to get ahold of Reece beside me.

"Why is she crying? Didn't you take care of her? I gave you clear instructions." I grabbed a fistful of his shirt, the urge to punch him intensifying by the second.

His lack of response made me look at Enzo beside him. I grabbed his wrists next, pinning him with a questioning look as irritation throbbed through me.

None of them spoke, the pain in my chest biting me so hard as it spread to my back that I had to lay low. I let the feeling pass before I grabbed Reece again demanding for answers.

"What did you do?" Her crying face made me feel so guilty and vulnerable. I roughly shook Reece's arms again to get an explanation from him.

"Calm down man," Enzo tried to settle me back on bed but I swatted his arm away. I glinted at Reece who adjusted his shirt behind him.

"She's so small right now," I turned to stroke her face so as to calm the rage that was seething through me. Her skin was even drier, her hands rougher.