The Bet (Book 1 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 21: tears and protection

Taylor

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"Someone To Stay"- Vancouver Sleep Clinic

I wake up to the sound of the doorbell and banging on the front door. I groan as I sit up in bed and look at the time, it was 1 in the fucking morning. Who was fucking at the door now? Lily was at Jake's for the night so it was only me at home. And hearing the doorbell this late at night, scared the shit out of me.

I get up and make my way to the front door that was by the kitchen. I grab the biggest knife from the kitchen before looking through the peephole of the door to see fucking Garrett.

"Taylor." He whispers as he leans against the doors.

I quickly open the door and drop the knife as he falls into my arms. My heart drops when I see his bruised up, bloody face. Holy fucking shit.

"What the hell happened to you?" I ask.

"I need to sit down." He says, holding onto me for support.

"Okay, come on." I say as I lead him to my bedroom.

I help him sit on my bed and he groans in my pain as he wraps his arm around his torso. I look at him, my stomach twisting and turning, my eyes filling with tears.

"What the fuck happened?" I ask as I kneel down in front of him.

He shakes his head, "I can't do it. I just can't."

"Garrett, you're scaring me. Just tell me." I beg as tears run down my face.

He looks at me and sighs when he sees my tears. He reaches up his bruised up hand to my face and gently wipes away my tears.

"Don't cry, please. I hate seeing you cry, baby." He whispers.

"You need to tell me what happened, Garrett." I say in between sobs.

"You'll run away from me." He says.

"No, I won't. I want you. I want every part of you. I want every complication, every scar, every little thing." I explain to him.

He sighs before looking down at his lap. I wanted to take away all the pain he was feeling. Every little thing that was scaring him, I wanted it all. He didn't need this.

"Who did this to you?" I ask again.

He looks at me, "My father." He confesses.

Fucking hell.

"He hurt my mother so I went back home to see her. And we got into a fight and he won, once again. I couldn't stay there so I got on the next bus and came here because I didn't want to be alone tonight." He explains to me.

I sigh before wrapping my arms around his neck, holding him tightly. Never wanting to let go of him. I wanted to keep him here where he was safe, where no one could hurt him like this again.

He wraps his arms around me and holds me, "That's why I have so many scars on my body."

I let out a small sob as I buried my face into his neck, seeking the warmth of his skin. I don't know why he came here but I was grateful he did. I could protect him, I don't know why but I wanted to protect him with all the power inside of me.

"I'm going to protect you, Garrett." I say as I pull away and hold his damaged face in my hands.

He stares at me and shakes his head, "You need to leave me, Taylor. Please. Protect yourself from me."

I shake my head, "No."

"But why?" He asks.

"Because you've never been treated right. I want to show you how you deserve to be treated." I voice. It was true, every word. I wanted to show him that he was enough for me. And I wasn't going to run away from him.