Tainted Redemption

Chapter eighteen

Straining my heavy eyelids it remains too dark behind my vision. The constant ringing noise of my ears making it worse to wake up and is mildly adding to the panic that I can't move or feeling anything...but then...

A weak whine mumbles from my lips and soon I groan at the strained, somewhat numbed pain on my lower back, just on my hip, the light of the room blinds me for a fraction.

When my eyes finally adjust I see that I'm exactly in the room I slept in just the night before. That's good news, but how?

Where's my dad? And why am I alone with no IV's draped on me.

My tired gaze flickers around the room, solely staring at the door, waiting for someone to barge in.

I flinched when my cheek is getting touched by gentle brushes from the back of a hand and I briskly stare to the side, Zayn is standing tall there, I was never alone, his eyes are warm but twitch slightly to irritation, I can't do anything but stare, caught in the way his eyes twinkle from the lights reflection.

He found me and saved me...I grimace to myself, preparing for his scolding while I'm laid there defenseless. I'm so grateful that I wasn't caught by the murderer.

I'm waiting for him to shout at me, call me irresponsible but he doesn't, though I know he's mostly holding back because of my fragile state.

He shifts closer and then sits down next to me that I can feel his body heat radiate to me and it's a much needed warmness I will always want. His left hand cradles my cheek, thumb running over my chin then bottom lip as he's gazing at me with emotion.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't."

"But Zayn-"

"Shut up." he mutters, grasping me closer by the back of my neck, our foreheads touching, his eyes roaming my face for a good while, "Do you have the slightest idea how mad I am right now?" his voice low, too cold, I peer slightly down, here comes the blow... but I want to feel him close and see his features, expressions too. I have done something stupid and dangerous, now I have to face the consequences, so I avert my eyes back up to his, they soften drasticly at my gathered tears and trembling lips, hazel irises trailing from my lips to my eyes, "I'm so mad at you...so, so mad," he mumbles, sighing heavily in distress. Shockingly I don't get hurt emotionally by this as I don't focus on what he says for a moment, more on how he does, "Words can't describe how much anger I feel...but they can't describe or do justice to what I feel for you either," Heart thundering at his honest words, I relax to him, rounding my arms on his shoulders, he lets me, pulling me to him safely, "You've got me so scared when I found you there...do you know what that sight did to my heart?" I tug him closer to me until he just puts me over his lap, his arms enclosing me and his hands tenderly brush over me. "I will always care for you, doesn't matter how mad I get because it's in my instinct, love." he murmurs, "I hate what you do to me because it hurts when I can't protect you." he ends gently. It crawls in his conscience when he can't protect me...

Our foreheads still rested to the other, and now our noses are nudging too, tilting my head slightly to the side I peck his lips in surprise.

He's frozen for a little until he reciprocated, gently folding his lips on mine...but he remembers why this isn't supposed to happen when he recoils uncomfortably and it tugs on my heart. "Liv, that I care for you doesn't mean we're..." he trails off, I hummed meekly. I knew very well what it meant.

"You have to let me go though, my dad-" I begin once I remember, his soft expression contorts to fury.

"I don't care." he sharply cut me off.