Golden Girl- Book 2

Protector

Ell slowly woke up the comfort of her large bed. She noticed a fire was dying in her small fire place. She didn't remember building a fire. Or even coming home. All she felt was cold, sore, and numb.

"Good morning beautiful," a devilish Irish accent charmed.

"Collin?" Ell asked weakly.

"The one and only," Collin smiled down at Ell.

Ell noticed he was sitting in a chair next to her bed. He must have been watching her as she slept.

"What happened?" Ell asked as she rubbed her head.

"Well, yesterday was the worst day of every year. I came here to check up on you but you were gone. I knew the only other place you would be was at his grave, and I was correct. I found you there. Unconscious. Cold. Drunk. You hit your head on the tombstone and left a nasty mark. I took you back here and found Niall. He came here looking for you," Collin explained as he brought Ell a bowl of hot soup.

"Where's Niall now?" Ell asked.

"He went to get more fire wood," Collin answered.

Before Ell got the bowl of soup, she started to cry. Cry like is was yesterday instead of today.

Without hesitation, Collin got on the bed, pulled Ell into his arms, and let her cry.

"How could he leave me like that? He promised he'd get better. He promised he'd never leave me. He promised," Ell cried into Collin's chest.

"Leaving you was the hardest thing he has ever done. Trust me," Collin whispered.

"I hate cancer," Ell mumbled.

"Many people do," Collin said as he kissed Ell's head.

"I brought more fire wood," Niall said as he walked in.

Collin got up from the bed to refuel the fire to warm his Ell.

"How are you feeling?" Niall asked as he wiped away Ell's tears.

"As good as I'm going to be," Ell smiled weakly at Niall.

"I'm sorry for getting so mad," Niall said.

"I'm sorry for not being reasonable," Ell replied.

Niall handed Ell the bowl of soup from the bedside table and feed her lovingly.

"I can feed myself," Ell laughed as Niall tried hard not to spill any of the soup.

"But I want to soup your mouth," Niall protested.

Ell cracked up with laughter as Collin looked at Niall with a confused face.

"Now I see that those words sounded a little wrong. What I meant was to soup this into your mouth," Niall corrected.

"Ell, what do you see in him?" Collin asked completely befuddled.

"I don't know. But I love whatever it is," Ell admitted.

"You should get some more sleep. You lost a little blood when you hit your head. It would be best for your blood cells to replicate while you're sleeping," Collin explained.

Ell nodded and snuggled underneath her comforter.

"Niall, can I talk to you?" Collin asked once Ell was settled.

"Sure," Niall replied knowing he didn't have a choice.

Once they got down to the messy living room, Collin started to talk.

"Ell has told you about her past. That I know. And I want you to know something else. I love Ell. I love her more than anything. She is my life. I cannot deny her anything. She is the owner of my heart, soul, and well, everything. I understand that she does not feel the same way anymore. Her heart belongs to another. But I am her protector. If anything happens to her, I will destroy whoever caused it. I don't care who it is, they will pay for  what they did. If you break her heart, I will break you. Not just your heart, but your face, organs, bones, everything. Is that clear?" Collin asked with his arms crossed over his chest.