Protecting Her Lost Soul

Chapter 16

Everyone wanted to go for a walk so we drove to the nearest forest. I get out of the car and help Miley out the car. Flynn didn't want me going out but the Doctor did say to walk around a bit. Once Miley is out the car and her coat is on and zipped up I grab the dog out the boot. I keep him on the lead as we don't know him yet.
    Snowflakes are falling on the snow as we walk on the trail. I walk slower than the rest of them. I watch as Miley is enjoying the walk in the snow. "Mommy, look," Miley points to the deer in the distance.
   "It's pretty," I say and she claps her hands. I watch them all walk ahead and I pick up some snow and I make two snowballs. I aim for Tyler's head and it hits his back. I aim for Flynn's head and I hit my target. They both turn around and I smile. "What?" I say innocently. They look at each other and they both bend down and make snowballs.
   I stop, keeping my distance. They both throw them gently at me and I scream. I turn and they hit my back. Miley runs to my side, "Let's get them," I say to her and she giggles. We make more snowballs and throw them at them.
    They come closer to us and Flynn picks up Miley and she giggles. I back away as Tyler comes towards me. He picks me up throwing me over his shoulder. I let go of the dog and he starts barking playfully at us. Tyler bends forward and goes to lower me in the snow. "Ty!" I whine. He lowers me in the snow and then starts flicking the snow all over me.
   The dog tries to eat the snow as Tyler flicks it at me. Miley runs to my aid and starts throwing snowballs at Tyler again. Flynn starts throwing snow at me instead and I grab his hand and I pull him onto the snow. We are all covered in snow. I grab some snow and I cover Flynn's face and he tries blowing it away.
   I smile down at him and shifts his weight so he's laying on me. He shakes his head so the snow drops on me. Our eyes lock and time stands still. We are both lost in each other. All I can hear is our heavy breathing. He leans down and his cold lips touch mine. "Bro!" Tyler growls.
    Flynn hastily pulls away from me. He helps lift me to my feet and he looks at Tyler. Tyler is glaring at us. "Leave them alone, Tyler. They are cute, I will whoop your ass boy." Nanny says.
    "Nan!" he protests again and Tyler walks ahead with the rest of them. I bend down and grab the dogs lead, he's loyal by my side. I gasp as I stand back up.
    Miley runs off after Tyler and grabs his hand. He tries to withdraw but she doesn't let him. Flynn slides his hand in mine and we walk after them. I see Miley talking to Tyler and he groans. He bends down and picks her up and places her on his shoulders. He's trying, that's all I can ask for. Miley giggles and I smile.
    "Are you okay? I wish you didn't come on this walk, you should be resting." Flynn says.
   "I'm fine, the Doctor said I needed to walk around." I stop and cough again. He grabs my face to look at me. "Flynn, I'm fine." I insist and he sighs. He takes my hand again and we walk.
    After our long walk, I am frozen. I sort Miley out bathing her and dress her in her Pj's. I grab her blanket that my Mom and Dad got her and I carry her down the stairs. Flynn glares at me but I glare back at him. I sit Miley on the sofa and I cover her in her blanket. "Honey, I'll watch her whilst you have a bath. You look cold."
   "I'll shower later Mom. I need to feed her."
   I cough and hold my ribs. "We will all eat when you've had a bath, Lee. Flynn?" Mom looks at him for help. He gets off the floor and walks towards me. He lifts me up and carries me up the stairs.
   "Why do you make everything so hard?" he grumbles.
   "You love me despite my stubbornness," I smile and he grins.
   "Maybe even because of your stubbornness." He starts running the bath and I start removing my clothes. I lock the door and turn back to him nearly tripping over the dog and Flynn raises his eyebrow. "Ri. . ."
   "Oh come on," I say. I walk over to him and I pull his top over his head.
   "Ri, we can't."
   "You said we can the other day," I counter. I reach for his jeans and he stops me.
   "Ri, it's not enough for me. I need you for an entire night," I shake my head.
   "We don't have all night anymore." I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him. He kisses me back and grabs my hips. He lifts me up and lowers me into the bath and I grumble my annoyance.
   "Your family are downstairs," he explains.
   I pout, "They are yours too, it's a big house. They won't know," I sulk.
   "I get the impression your Nan doesn't like me," he kneels on the floor so he is my height. I laugh.
    "Oh, trust me she loves you!"
    "So what was the dinner about?" he frowns.
    "Well, she didn't know about me. She didn't know anything really. She said she adores you but she's with Tyler in the fact that you are dangerous for me. She thinks that I could find someone better. I think she has to as a grandparent. I think she understands that I won't find anyone better and that she will support any decision I make. She just wishes it would a healthier relationship."
     "You can do a lot better than me, Ri." Flynn turns the taps off.
     I scowl at him, "Not in this lifetime. Flynn, you always say I shouldn't be with you but if I did find someone else. If I could accept someone else, how would you feel?"
    "I'd be livid, it would break me. You are mine," he growls.
    "Yes, I am yours but you keep pushing me away!" I growl back. "I will always be yours!" I insist and his lips crush mine. He gets to his feet but keeps his lips on mine. I hear him remove his jeans and he slowly climbs in the bath.
    "Fuck," he pulls his lips from mine leaving us both panting. "Is this what you want?" I nod. He holds his hand out to me. "Well, you on top then." He pulls me up so he can sit in my place. He helps me sit astride him. He lines me up and eases me onto him and I throw my head back.
   He traces my bruises on my ribs lightly causing goosebumps on my skin. His fingers travel up my body to the bruises on my neck. He fixates on the bruises with his eyes as he traces them. I grab his hands and place them on my hips. "Don't," I warn.
    "Riley, I nearly lost you. Give me a minute," I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his neck. I move up and down causing friction and he groans. "When I close my eyes all I see his him restraining you."
     "I'm okay, Flynn. I'm here with you and I want you to fuck me," he buries his face in my neck as I continue the rhythm.
     "But you aren't, he hurt what is mine. He marked you," I groan in frustration.
     I grab his face to look at me, "He's never going to hurt me again. I never have to see him again. I know you'll protect me, Flynn. I am safe with you."
    "You weren't safe yesterday, I didn't have control, Ri."
    "That was my fault. I should have been more careful with him on the loose," if I stayed with him then James would never have got close to me. On the plus side to all this, he's out of our lives.
    "Yes, I was so fucking mad with you," I smirk and he frowns at me. "What's so funny?" he growls.
    "Well, I figured yesterday that if you were that mad at me it means you love me a lot." he raises his eyebrow at me.
    "That's quite an assumption. I had more hate than love yesterday," I frown. Hate should never overpower love. "But you're right, I love you so fucking much. I would never forgive myself if I let anyone hurt you." I rest my face in his neck again and he flexes his hips and I gasp. Tears form in my eyes and I sniff. "Are you crying, again?"
    "No. . ." I deny. He pulls my head from his neck and he wipes away the tears.
    "Why are you crying baby?"
    "I don't know." he laughs at me and strokes my face. "I love you, what if I lost you?" he chuckles again.
    "Baby, I'm always going to be here. I will always love you." he kisses my wet lips and we are lost in each other. My body is climbing and I can't stop it. I'm burning from the outside in. My heart is beating frantically. "Not yet," he growls and then he deepens the kiss. Demanding access for his tongue. I can't stop and he muffles my screams with his mouth.
    I find my release but I'm aware of Flynn's relentless rhythm and the fire is growing again deep inside me. "I told you, this isn't enough." his lips suck and nip against the base of my neck and shoulder. My fingers dig into his back and he groans. He grabs my body wash and squirts it on my chest and rubs it over my breasts and I throw my head back again. "So beautiful," he groans.
    He rubs the body wash over my stomach and grazes over my scar and I screw my face up. He doesn't linger long and he starts washing my back. He grazes his piercing over my hardened nipple and I call out. He quickly grabs my mouth with his hand. "Shh, baby." I nod and he releases my mouth. He repeats the process with the other nipple and I bite my lower lip to muffle the sounds.
     I reach back and stroke his knee and he tenses. "Ri. . ." he says breathlessly. I do it one more time and he flips us over so he's pinning me beneath him. Water splashes over the sides at his sudden abruptness. He makes a pounding relentless rhythm and I shut my eyes taking in everything. His touch, his lips on my skin, the fire in my body, the swelling of my heart it's all overwhelming me. "Let go, baby," he whispers in my ear and he grazes my earlobe with his teeth.
    The pulsing, the swirling the feeling of ecstasy has me in a complete daze. It's me and him in our little paradise. The fire has gone out but I'm still warm and tingly. The burning has been faded but I feel cherished. No one can love this man as much as I love him.
   I am woken by Flynn kissing my lips, "Wake up sleepy head, not a good sign you falling asleep underneath me. Am I that much of a bore?"
   I smirk but I don't open my eyes. "You could never be a bore. Besides, I am in sheer bliss right now."
   "Hmm," he says and kisses my lips again. He lifts me out the bath, he sets me on my feet but he has to hold most of my weight as I'm too tired. Once he's wrapped a towel around me he lifts me up. He carries me out the bathroom and into his room. He lowers me onto the bed.
   "The hell is taking so long?" Tyler growls.
   "She fell asleep in the bath. I was loathed to wake her but the water started to get cold." Flynn ignores his attitude.
    "Should she be sleeping like this?"
    "Well, I think the pain killers are making her drowsy. I don't think it's really bad I mean if it's making her rest then who cares? I'd happily sedate her to knock her out if it meant she was resting." Tyler laughs loudly.
    "Hurry up bro, Miley's been driving me insane. Plus, I bought the dog for the kid and he's with my sister. Why do you think he's stuck to her?"
    "Dunno bro, I don't know a lot about dogs. Maybe he senses she's in pain?" he says curiously. "I'll get her dressed and we will be down."
     "K, don't take long." Flynn sits me up and places a top over my head and I lift my arms into the holes. He slides a hoodie over the top and lowers me down.
     "I hate this," I grumble.
     "Why? I love looking after you. In sickness and in health," my eyes fly open and he's sliding my panties on.
    "But we aren't married." I protest.
    Once he slides my panties in place he grabs my hand and he places my hand over his heart, "In here you are." I smile and he grabs the dreaded tracksuit bottoms again. "I mean, I'd rather be undressing you but that's because I can't get enough of you."
    He slides on my bottoms and socks and then he picks me up again. I cling to his neck as we walk downstairs. He takes me into the living room. Miley looks at me, "Mommy!" she smiles at me. Flynn sits on the sofa and makes me lay in front of him like before. Miley lays on me and slides my top up. She rests her cheek on my stomach as she has done before.
    "What is she doing?" Nanny asks. The dog's nose touches my waist and he whines.
    "Don't know, she does it all the time," Flynn says.
    "Sweetie, can you tell me why you do that?"
    "It's a secret," Miley says and puts her index finger on her lips.
    I stroke her hair, "Kid, do you want to help me feed your dog?" Miley sits up and nods at Tyler. She gets up off the couch and I pull the hoodie down. Flynn covers me with the blanket again.         
      "Come on, Rex." She calls and he follows her out the room. I smile in content, I love how she's coming out of her shell a bit more around the rest of the family.
    "Oh, Honey. You're back, shall we eat in here? You look tired," I nod as she looks at me after entering the room. "Shall I just put food on your plate for you?"
    "Sure, thanks, Mommy."
    "You need to feed her more, Abigail. She's lost weight. Get her some water too, she needs lots of fluids hot and cold. Vapour rub should help her cough too."
    Mom rolls her eyes, "Yes Mother, I do know how to look after my child."
    "I didn't say you didn't Abigail." Mom curses and walks out the room. Miley comes back in the room with the dog and she climbs onto the sofa and lays on me. The dog jumps up on me too and lays his head on my stomach looking up at me. I stroke his head as his blue eyes continue to watch me. Miley strokes the dog's back.
    Mom returns with water an ice pack and the vapour rub. I roll my eyes, I take the drink and she passes the rub and ice pack to Flynn. He sits up a bit more and pushes me into sitting position. The dog has to move his head to my lap and Miley sits up with me but stays hugging me. Flynn lifts the Hoodie slightly and slides his hand up my back and rubs the vapour on my chest.
     "Shouldn't Abigail do that?" Nanny says.
     Tyler laughs as he walks back into the room. "Yeah, okay. That's funny Nan." Nanny frowns at Tyler, "There is no making Riley do anything. Only Flynn can tell her what to do. If any of us tried we'd be decked or she'd flat out refuse." I roll my eyes.
    "Deck you? Riley wouldn't hurt a fly."
    "That was old Riley. She actually punched me a while ago for pushing her too far."
    "Did you knock him out?" Nanny asks and I shake my head. "Riley, I showed you how to punch them just right. You should have knocked him out cold." I laugh but then hold my ribs. Flynn removes his hand from my back. 
     "Nan!" Tyler growls.
     "What? She's my favourite, I root for her." I laugh again but I screw my face up. 
     "Ri," Flynn warns. He slides his hand down the front of the hoodie and rubs it in on the front of my chest. I don't think braless was one of Flynn's better ideas.
     "Stop fondling my granddaughter," Nanny jokes and Flynn coughs. "Your face!" she laughs. "One thing I learned in life, is grab what you can. Literally," she laughs again.
     "Nan!" Tyler whines.
     "Elsie stop making the boy uncomfortable with your crude jokes." Pop's says. I look at him and he's smirking. Nanny sticks her tongue out at him.
     "Don't be embarrassed, sweetie. You can grab mine anytime," Jesus.
     Tyler and I both protest this time and she laughs. Flynn removes his hand from my chest. He slides the ice pack up my top and I gasp grabbing his hand. I shake my head, "Ri, please." he whispers in my ear. I relax and he removes his hand. I use my arm to hold it in place. Flynn gets off the couch and walks out the room.
    I drink the water and place the glass on the floor. I wait for Flynn to come back before I lay back down. "So, Hayden, how long is the kid getting?" Pop's says and I look at them. Dad glances at me and then back to Pops.
    "He hasn't been charged yet. I'm hoping they will decline bail although his Mother is pleading insanity. She believes he is mentally unwell. If the judge accepts the plea then an evaluation has to take place and he may get a lessened sentence if it is determined."
     "Can he get off without jail time?"
     "It's possible but I'm working tirelessly to stop that from happening. We have no evidence of previous assault but I am putting it into the case. We think he's been homeless and living rough all this time which in turn could have caused untold damage to his mental health."
    I cringe as Flynn returns and sits behind me and I lay back on to him. "He's insane for doing that," Pops growls.
    "Yes, I just need to make sure he's not granted bail first," I bury my face on his chest and Flynn strokes my hair. "He's not getting away with it whatever card he plays."
    The dog whines and moves his head onto my stomach again. "Here you go honey," Mom says and I look up at her. She's holding a plate of food and I sit up and take it from her. "Come on Miley Honey, let's get you some food. Everyone help yourselves to the food in the dining room."
    Miley smiles and grabs Mom's hand and she climbs over the dog and off the couch and they leave the room. Everyone else gets up except Flynn. I shove a sausage roll in my mouth and chew. I swallow and I start coughing again. I hold my side as I cough. "Your cough is getting worse, Ri."
    "It's fine," I reassure him.
    "They said you could get a chest infection. Maybe we should go back to the Doctor's." I cough again.
    "I'm fine, I'm not going," I protest. I'm fed up of Doctors and hospitals for a lifetime. Flynn reaches around me and grabs food off my plate. I don't say anything because there is no way I can eat all this.
    "You're so annoying," he groans. I tilt my head back and smile innocently and he kisses my lips briefly and I tilt my head back up. They all pile back with their plates of food. Mom helps Miley back on the sofa with her food. The sofa isn't big enough for three adults, a child and a dog.
    I take the quiche off the plate and start eating it. Tyler sits by my head again and I ruffle his hair and he grabs my hand. "Lee, no," he groans. "You'll ruin it," I laugh but quickly stop.
    "You're funny," I mumble. He holds my hand and rests it on his lap and I shut my eyes. I've slept half the day away.
    "Ri, eat more, please," I groan. I don't open my eyes but clumsily feel for the plate and grab something at random and shove it in my mouth. Once I've finished I'm not eating anymore. I pull my hand out of Tyler's and turn and Flynn has to quickly grab the plate. I slide my hands up his top and rest my head on him. He's so warm. The dog moves next to me laying on Flynn's leg.
    I'm vaguely aware that they put on another Christmas film. "Ri, I need to get up."
    "No," I grumble. "Stay," I whisper. He strokes my hair making no attempt to move. "I love you," I nuzzle my nose into his chest.
    "I love you too, baby," I let the darkness take me.