Little Lamb

29 ❦ baby fawn

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I sat there, staring blankly at the ground, the weight of dried tears pulling tight across my cheeks. They brought me to Riggs's tent, tied my hands, but I didn't resist. I didn't speak. There was no fight left in me.

Burns's blood still haunted me, so much of it pooling into the dirt, spilling down his face. Even though I hated him, the sight of what Riggs did stirred something dark inside me. I felt guilty. Watching him broken like that made me feel bad for him, even though he deserved it.

How Riggs had handled him... fuck. So violent, so ruthless, it churned something deep within me. Was it really all for me? Or was there something more behind it? Burns had whispered accusations as he pinned me down, claiming I was to blame.

I didn't know what I'd done to make him snap like that. Maybe I didn't want to know.

I didn't know how much time had passed when Riggs finally came in. His hands were clean now, though I could still see the rawness of his knuckles from where they'd cracked against Burns's face.

He stood there silently an unreadable expression on his face, his eyes flicking to my torn shirt, my underwear, my bare skin.

"Why did he do it, Riggs? Why does he act like that to me? He said... he said I have blood on my hands."

"That day at the factory... the raid," he said quietly. "Burns lost someone. A friend. Your father's people were responsible for it."

I blinked, confusion clouding my mind. "My father's people?"

Riggs nodded slowly. "He blames you for what happened..."

The weight of his words sank in. "So that's why..." I whispered, my heart pounding with guilt and confusion. It made sense now, the venom in Burns's treatment of me. But it didn't make it any easier to swallow.

"It's not your fault. What happened back then has nothing to do with you. Burns... he can't see that. And now it's cost him."

"Are you mad at me?" The words slipped out before I could stop them but I needed to know.

His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing as he took in my half naked, disheveled state. "Mad? Why would I be mad, Lola?"

I swallowed hard. "Because... I wasn't supposed to be out there."

Riggs crossed his arms. "Yeah, what were you doing in Burns's tent?"

I stayed quiet, staring at the ground, shutting down completely. My mind blanked out, too overwhelmed to respond. I couldn't face what had just happened, couldn't find the words to explain.

"Now's the time to speak up. Don't make me drag the truth out of you," he warned. "If you don't, I'll assume the worst, and I don't think you want that."

My chest tightened at his words, but still, I remained silent, retreating further into myself.

"Say something." Riggs said, his patience thinning.

Tears welled in my eyes, spilling over my cheeks as I broke down. The sobs came fast, uncontrollable, shaking my whole body.
I couldn't stop, couldn't hold back anymore. Everything poured out all at once.

Riggs's stern expression faltered when he saw my state. He stood there for a moment, jaw clenched. Then, without a word, he moved toward me, lowering himself down. "Tell me what happened."

"I wasn't trying to escape," I managed to choke out. "I was just... looking around. I don't know why I went near Burns's tent, but I wasn't planning anything. I swear. Then I saw Burns, and everything just went wrong."