Second Chance

Chapter 18

I don't know how long I sat on the road when I felt a hand on shoulder.

Looking up, I found Aaron looking at me with fear and concern in his eyes.

Gently, he held my hand and pulled me up, right in his arms.

As soon as his hands claimed my waist and I inhaled his smell, I knew I was safe. Safe from all the darkness of the world.

The tears that I'd tried my best to hold, came out rushingly.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I cried.

Cried till there were no more tears left.
Cried till my eyes went dry.

And all this time, Aaron just held me close, whispered soothing words and seldomly ran his fingers through my hair.

Even after I loosened my grip and looked at him, he still refused to leave me waist.

Before anyone of us can speak, a officer came and said," Ma'am, we'll be requiring your statement."

"Are you out of your fucking mind?", Aaron shouted," Can't you see her condition?"

The officer flinched at Aaron's outburst," Sir, but it's important."

"Nothing is more important than Rachel's condition.", he said sternly.

This line made me look at him. That's when I noticed that he was in his office suit, but without coat and tie, sleeves rolled up and a top few buttons of his shirt undone which gave me the perfect view of his chest.

He had bags under his eyes and his face clearly showed how tired he was.

Still he was here for me.

The way his lips were moving just made me want to bite them.

"Rachel, are you listening?"

I blinked. Once. Then twice.

That's when I realized the situation we were in.

"Sorry. You were saying?", I asked in a low voice.

"Let's get you home."

I nodded and he guided me towards the car with his hand still on my back.

I'm sure that area of my back will be burnt by the heat of his palm.

The drive to home was a silent one. I was lost in my thoughts of my past.

No doubt today's incident had made me feel the old fear again but knowing that Aaron is by my side helped me to get better.

I felt Aaron looking towards me few times but I was too exhausted to look back.

We reached my home and Aaron held my hand while walking towards the lift.

After we reached my front door, Aaron asked for the key and unlocked it.

"I think you should take a shower and change."

I nodded.

After 30 minutes, I had showered and changed into my pj shorts and tank top and was applying antiseptic on the wound on my neck when my door knocked.

"The door's open.", I said.

Aaron came in with a tray in his hand.

His eyes followed hand and as soon as he saw my wound, his eyes grew dark with anger.

I quickly covered it with a band-aid and looked at him.

"I thought you must be hungry after today's events. You should have some soup.", he said as he kept the tray on the table beside my bed.

"I don't think I can have anything right now. I just want to sleep.", I said, yawning.

"I'll let you sleep but after you have your soup."

I opened my mouth to refuse but he beat me to it.

"I don't want any arguments in that. The sooner you finish your soup, the sooner I'll let you sleep.", he said bluntly.

Sighing in defeat, I sat on bed and started drinking my soup.

The entire time I knew Aaron hadn't moved his eyes from me but I was too shy to look back.

Knowing that his eyes are following my every action made each and every organ of my being erupt with joy but at the same time calmed me too.

As I gulped the last spoon, Aaron took the bowl from my hand and kept it aside.

I put my feet on the bed and he helped me lie down and put the covers on top of me.

Just as my eyes closed, the images of those torturous years came into life.

I snapped open my eyes and sat up.

"Rach are you okay?"

I looked at Aaron and held my hand out for him to hold.

He immediately took my shivering hands in his and sat down beside me.

"He'll come back Aaron and then he'll take me with him and-and this ti-time he'll...", I couldn't continue further because my voice cracked and my eyes glistened with tears.

"Shhh! Rachel, no one's gonna take you away.", he said while wrapping his hands around me for the second time of day.

"No Aaron. You don't know him. He-he'll take me with him and, and then he'll beat me ti-till I di-die. And he'll also-"

"Enough Rachel.", he spoke with audacity in his voice.

His hands moved from my waist to the back of my neck and he forced me to look into his eyes.

"Now listen to me very carefully. No one is ever going to take you away. No one will ever harm you. As long as I'm alive, I'll not let anyone, and I mean anyone ever harm you. Do you trust me?"

Slowly I nodded a yes.

He shook his head," I want you to say it."

"Yes.", I managed to speak.

This yes earned me a million dollar smile from him.

"Now I want you to lie down and sleep."

He helped me settle again and started to get up.

Panicked, I ask him," Where are you going?"

I looked back at me," Relax. I'm just going to keep the tray in the kitchen."

I looked at him unsatisfied which he noticed.

"Rachel, I'm not leaving you. Ever."

His eyes showed nothing but sincerity in them which made me calm down.

After 2 minutes he came back and I instantly held his hand before he could leave again.

"Don't leave me."

"I won't."

With that he sat beside me and I crawled beside him.

I may be behaving like a 5 year child but I couldn't care less.

Settling my head on his lap, I closed my eyes.

Before drifting off to sleep, the last thing I heard was," I'll never leave you Rachel."