The Marshall Boy

Twenty-five

Twenty-five.
Lucy.

"How long has she been asleep?" I hear someone say, but I don't move. I'm feeling very warm, and extremely cozy so I attempt to go back to sleep.

"Twenty minutes. I carried her in, but I didn't want to get the glass out myself." A pause and a chuckle that sounds so familiar I open my eyes. "I didn't want to screw anything up."

"Alright," Bobby says, chuckling himself, and I sit up when I hear him moving around.

"Bobby?" I blink, conscious of the fact that I still have on makeup.

"Hey sleepy head, I leave you alone for a day and you step on glass?" He grins, as he messes up my hair and I roll my eyes. I'm never in a good mood when I just wake up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, as I pull the velvet blanket back over me, and watch Bobby sit next to me.

"Blake called so I could get the glass out of your foot." I had forgotten about the fact that glass was in my foot; how had I slept so soundly? My eyes find their way to Blake as he walks toward the couch and sits on my other side.

"This is going to hurt, right?" I sigh, and Bobby pats my head.

"Like hell." He confirms, as he goes through his first aid kit. "Please try not to kick me in the face."

I look to Blake who holds his hand out to me, and I place mine in his. I suck in a deep breath as Bobby pulls his tweezer out. "Alright, Luce. Deep breaths." I want to tell him I'm already doing that but I'm tired and a little worried about the pain so I close my eyes and squeeze Blake's hand, as Bobby pulls the glass out of my blood stained foot. "Got it!" He sounds pleased, while I blink back my tears.

"Ouch." I breathe, and Blake squeezes my hand back, making me look over at him. "Did I hurt you?"

He doesn't respond, just he shakes his head and Bobby wraps a bandage around my foot. "That's pretty deep, but keep a bandage on it and it should heal just fine." He explains, and I nod.

"Thanks." I smile, and he winks.

"I've got to get going." He looks at Blake once he locks the first aid kit. "Take care of her."

Blake nods, and Bobby kisses my cheek before he heads toward the front door, and leaves quietly. I cuddle further into the blanket, and look up at Blake who's watching me.

"You realize that this is just the beginning." He says, his voice steady letting me know whatever he's saying, he means.

"What is?" I ask, as I blink so I will stay awake.

"This." He gestures toward my foot, and me being at his place. "Nate's out to get me, Lucy. And someone else is trying to frame me for murder."

"Right." I sit up, feeling my heart start to race. "But Nate got what he wanted from me."

"They won't stop. Nate won't and whoever it is that's framing me for murder wants to take everything away from me, and I can't allow you to be collateral damage. I won't." He says, as he stands and walks toward the kitchen.

"So you're just going to isolate yourself for the rest of your life?" I counter, as I stand and throw the warm blanket back onto the couch. I'm tired, I'm still a bit shaken up, and now I'm cold; so he better come out swinging because I'm ready to fight now.

"If it means keeping the people I care about safe, I will." He swears, as he places his hands on the marble kitchen counter, and stares at me as I cross my arms.

"What a sad existence." I comment, and he shakes his head as he blows out a deep breath.

"I didn't ask for it, don't you get that?"