In the arms of evil

Stepping stones

Walking back into the apartment, I pushed aside what Marcus had told me. Troy is my brother and he's in this life because of me. But Brooklyn is the girl I love. She went through hell because of me. I have to tell her the truth, but not yet. After what she went through with those men in the alley, I need to be there for her. "Brooklyn? Baby?" I called out but got no reply. I could hear the water running in the bathroom.

Walking into the Swedish bathroom, my eyes land on Brooklyn's body. She's bandaged up and still bruised in most places. "Oh baby" I whisper, heart breaking for her. Before I can even take another step, she's backing away from me. "Get out Colton." She sounds cold. Refrained from me. "What did I do?" She doesn't answer me. "Brooklyn, look at me." She keeps her back towards me. "I said fucking look at me" I turn her around to see tears in her eyes. "Baby..." I wrap my arms around her, keeping her at arms length to look at her. "What's wrong? What did I do wrong? Tell me. Please tell me so I can fix it. I hate it when you're like this because I can't take away your pain. I want to kill whoever makes you feel this way and I can't stand it if it's me who's made you feel like this. Talk to me baby." I cup her face in my hands, bringing her eyes up to look at me. "You left me" she sobs. "You left me to go talk to Marcus. I needed you. Why? Why did you leave me?" She buried her head into my chest, fisting my shirt. "I'm so sorry baby. I wasn't thinking. I just needed to talk to him. Forgive me baby. Please forgive me" I begged her, pulling her tighter to me. She didn't reply. She just clung to me, shaking.

I swipe her up into my arms and step into the walk in shower with her. Her arms cling tighter around my neck as the water crashes against her skin. The showers hurting her. Her injuries are still fresh. "I'm here baby. It's okay. It's all going to be okay now, I promise." Still wearing my clothes, soaked with her, I hold her to me on my lap as we sit on the shower floor, the flow of water drowning out her sobs. I hated how much pain she had. It was all my fault.

I placed her on the grey bed sheets, wrapped in a white towel. "I have to change your bandages." Her eyes shot up to mine in horror. "It'll be okay Brook. I'll be gentle with you, I promise. Trust me" I stroked her wet hair, kissing the top of her head as she nodded slowly. "Okay. I trust you" she whispered, removing the towel from her small body.

Coming back into the room with the stuff I needed, I could tell she was afraid of the pain to come. "Lay back baby. Let me take care of you." I held onto her shoulders gently as she leaned into the quilt of the bed. Her hands gripped the sheets as I began to undo her bandages. Her bones had healed, all that remained was bruising and stitches. Seeing the red and purple marks surrounding her wounds, I kissed around them gently, carful not to hurt her. "I'm hideous. My body... it's ruined" she wept, shutting her eyes and turning her head from me. My head shot up to see her, "Don't you ever say that again" I turned her head and forced her to face me. "This" I eyed her wounds "doesn't make you hideous. It hasn't ruined you. You're scared, yes, but it will get better. I should know. You've seen me, Brooklyn. You've seen how marked my body is. But you made me feel proud. Loved even. Let me love you, doll. Let me show you how beautiful you still are." Her eyes began to well with tears, breaking me. "I love you" I whisper into her hair, before leaning up to finish patching up her wounds. God it hurt me to see like this. I can only imagine how she feels. I was as carful as I could have been, but every whimper made by her shuddering lips shot through me like spears. I just wanted to take her pain away and replace it with love, but how could I? I don't have that sort of power, I'm just a man who's in love with an angel who keeps getting hurt because of me. "I'm sorry baby" I whisper, keeping the tears in. She doesn't hear me, or maybe she does, but she doesn't answer me, she just holds my face gently and whispers "thank you".

Brooklyn's pov
Colton holding me in the shower felt so intimate for me. I know it wasn't sexual, but it made me feel so close to him. Especially after he had walked out on me to talk to Marcus after I was literally breaking down in front of him.

When he was cleaning my wounds, I felt nothing but fear at first. I knew it would sting, and I didn't want anymore pain. But he made all the fear disappear when he kissed each wound. I had more scars added to my body, but he still made me feel beautiful even after I was breaking at the thought of how mangled my body looked. But he was right. They were only scars. They'll fade, but still linger to my skin. I hated that I had to live with this so young, but with Colton by my side, I felt somewhat invincible. I was so thankful I wasn't going through this alone, thankful I had him by my side. I loved him beyond words. But the fear. I fear will always be there as long as Marcus is in his life.

Heading into the living room, I found three empty beer bottles and half a glass of whiskey. There, laying on the worn brown couch, Colton lays asleep, legs hanging off the couch. He had left me to relax and find something comfy to wear. The only thing I could think of that wouldn't aggravate my wounds was his black Calvin Kleins and his guns and roses hoodie that hung just above my knees. I had laid on the bed after and drifted to sleep. But seeing Colton asleep like this, my heart hurt. Why didn't he come to bed with me?

Pulling a fuzzy moss green blanket over him to keep him warm, I became startled when he grabbed my wrist. His eyes shot open. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wake you" my voice quivered at the tight grip on my wrist. When he noticed, let loosened his grip but kept a hold of me. "No, I'm sorry... you just scared me. Come here baby" he kissed the redness on my wrists, soothing it with his touch as he brought me to his lap. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Brook. Please believe me. I've just been so scared lately... scared someone's going to hurt you. I can't sleep properly without" his eyes flicked to the alcohol on the metal coffee table. "Why didn't you lay next to me in our bed? Are you ashamed of me?" My eyes drifted down to my fumbling fingers. "What? Baby no" he whispers, cupping my face. His eyes look pained. "Why would you ever think that? I didn't lay beside you because I didn't want to hurt you. I love you, Brooklyn. I'm not ashamed of you. How could I be of someone so pure and loving?" I saw the tears forming in his eyes as his hands intwined with my hair. "I'm sorry, Colt. I didn't mean to make you upset. I just wanted you to lay with me. I love you. I love you" I whisper the last sentence as I lean my head into the crook of his neck, his arms wrapping around me as he lifts me up, bridal style, carrying us to his bed.

He lays me down gently, kissing my forehead before he slips out of his sweats and plain white tee, down to his boxers, and crawls into bed beside me. He goes to wrap his muscular arm around me, when I wince as it falls upon my bruises. "Fuck" I hear him mutter as he yanks his arm away, looking away from my pained face. "Hey... it's okay" I whisper, giving him a weak smile. "Trust me" I take his hand in mine and begin to place it around my waist. He's reluctant at first. "I don't want to hurt you baby" he shakes his head, arm stiff, hovering over my body, not letting himself touch me. "Please. I need to feel your warmth." With that, his eyes grow soft as he gently sets his arm down around my fragile body. He's gentle. Too gentle. "It's okay baby. Relax" I say, pushing myself into his body. He gasps as I push his arm down around me, afraid to cause me pain. But once he sees I'm comfortable, he instantly relaxes as I place a gentle kiss upon his collarbone. "Hold me Colton. Hold me and never let me go" I whisper, wrapping my arm around him, clutching at his brown locks that fall just below his neck. "I'll always be here, doll. I promise" he whispers back, kissing my hair.

We drift off into sleep, not afraid of tomorrow.