Warrior

Chapter Thirty Seven

Satey

It had been two hours since we had arrived at the hospital, and I was still sitting in awkward silence with Imogen outside the room. Liam and his friends had locked themselves inside as soon as the nurses allowed them, and they hadn't come out since.

My leg bounced in nervousness, a habit I had never grown out of, as Imogen paced. I watched her, our nerves tangling together to create even more stress. I realized I had no idea why she was here. She hadn't known Paul before Liam, and her and my brother had never been close. I almost thought she was here to support me, but the fact that she hadn't uttered a single word to me ruled that out fairly quickly.

When Liam finally stepped out of the room, I jumped up to greet him eagerly. He turned away from me as he clicked the room shut, leaning into the door and resting his forehead on it.

He heaved a sigh as I pressed my hands up to his shoulders, squeezing gently.

"Satey," he breathed, not facing me but I noticed he shook. "Satey, I-."

"Shh," I hummed, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his back. "You don't have to say anything."

He turned around in my arms, burying his face in my neck and I could feel his tears wetting the skin there. Even though he still towered above me, he felt small in my arms.

"My father-James-... He's in town, he's here."

~~~

We all sat around Paul's bed when they allowed everyone into the room. Imogen was sat between Paul and Craig, discussing lightly with the one Liam kept scowling at. When I had entered the room, Liam pulled me into his lap, hiding his face in my back when he needed. He was so vulnerable, I hated it, hated seeing him like this.

Paul wasn't in good shape either, he was on a drip and had a broken nose. Despite his condition, he was mad enough to go out there again. Liam said he had gotten so worked up his heart monitor went off twice.

"It's definitely him," Paul confirmed immediately when I asked.

Liam pulled me closer to him as Harry patted his shoulder.

"When he saw Satey at the fight, he dug into her history and found her brother. I figured he would go after her, because of Liam's blatant affection for her witnessed at that match, so when Liam told me what he saw I looked for Satey's immediate family."

I tensed in Liam's arms.

"So I tracked down the one closest to where James was spotted, and, sure enough, Sebastian was about to receive a surprise visit from our friend."

My heart was pounding a mile a minute as Paul continued his story. I was too far gone in my own mind to hear the rest.

Sebastian could have gotten killed because of me, Sebastian could have become leverage because of me.

This was no longer something only I had been dragged into, but my family-and even my (ex) best friend-got caught up in the mess as well.

I stood abruptly, clambering off of Liam's lap and escaping his grasp as he tried to bring me to him again. I felt all eyes on me, even the ones I didn't want looking at me.

"I'm sorry," I muttered quietly, even though my voice sounded loud to my own ears.

I didn't watch to see who followed me as I tore out of the room, almost collapsing against the wall when my legs gave way in the hallway. Liam caught me, though, strong arms looping under mine to keep me upright.

"Let's walk, yeah?" he mumbled in my ear, keeping a tight grip on my weak body as he led me away.

I wouldn't have known I was hyperventilating if Liam hadn't sat me down on a bench we found, squatting in front of me and forcing me to look into his eyes as he coached my breathing.

In, out. In, out. In time with his slow moving finger as he moved it up and down in front of my face. In, out.

When enough oxygen had returned to my brain, Liam lowered his finger and put it under my chin, tipping it up so I would look at him.

"Are you alright?"

I almost couldn't look into the deep brown depths I had grown to love, I was suddenly so fearful of how much he had changed me.

"Yeah." I ripped my gaze away, standing to pace back and forth in front of the windows.

Liam watched me, frozen in his knelt position; as if he knew I needed to do this. He kept a careful eye on me as minutes passed, making sure I was still safe.

When I stopped, I turned to stare at him with my arms wrapped around my waist to comfort myself.

"What's on your mind?" he prompted softly, standing but staying the distance away.

I didn't answer at first, merely looking at him was wavering my decision. I blinked hard, closing my eyes tight and taking a breath.

"I can't do this," I whispered finally.

The words were quiet, and I didn't think they reached his ears until my eyes opened and he was staring at me with such a broken expression I almost took back my words.

"What?" he asked, words throaty with confusion.

"I can't do this," I repeated, louder.

"What 'this'?" He took a step towards me. "Us?"

I nodded, not having the strength to say it aloud.

"Satey," he whispered and I felt my own tears escape at his broken tone. "Satey, no. No."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled and I was tasting salt as my tears flowed more rapidly, even into my mouth, "I am sorry-," I couldn't say his name. "But you're... dangerous. You're... You... I can't-."

And he was stepping forward, looming over me as he cupped my face in his hands and began kissing my tears away.

"You can't leave," Liam begged and I realized he was crying even as he brushed his lips against my cheeks. "You can't-not now-You can't leave me."

We must've been a sight; a sobbing mess kissing a sobbing mess who was trying to push him away.

I needed to get away.

"I have to," I cried, pulling from his grasp and forcing myself to look into his eyes; usually so hard and unyielding, now broken and filled with tears. "I have to."

Despite myself, I reached up; careful hand holding his cheek as I used my thumb to wipe his tears away.

"I do love you," I promised at a whisper, "but I can't."

Standing on my toes, I kissed his lips softly. They were salty with tears, from his or mine I didn't know. I didn't stay any longer to find out.

Turning on my heel and wiping my nose I made my way out of the hospital, away from the one I wanted so desperately to have my arms around.

"Satey!" he called after me, almost rocking me with the raw emotion in his voice, "Satey, come back!"

"Satey!"

"Satey, please!"

"Satey, I need you!"

But I didn't turn, I couldn't.

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whoa that was emotional. (And kinda short, sorry)
SORRY FOR THE DELAYED UPDATE I had a lot of essays to write last week, I was 'wrote' out! But there ya go: an emotional chappie for the middle of the week. NEXT UPDATE EITHER BY THIS WEEKEND OR NEXT, I'm not sure what I have going on.
What will happen to Latey omg
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