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I'm released from the hospital in the early morning on Friday after some tests were done and the doctor said I'm fine to go. He strictly said that I should take a week off work and just rest and take it easy.

And all I could think was; how fucking great to miss even more of work. In a sarcastic way, of course.

A police officer came to the hospital and questioned me about the attack. I've been informed that if something like that happens, it's the hospital's duty to inform the police immediately.

I didn't hide anything and told the police officer everything – even about the money he stole from me and all the times he was treating me violently during our relationship.

He started questioning me about Braden right after but I sent him a glare and said in the most serious way I could, ''Braden Campbell treats me like I'm the queen and he's the one who opened my eyes how wrong I've been treated before. Trust me, he'd never hurt me.'' At least not physically. But of course I don't say that out loud, because I'm not stupid. I'm not the one to spill my troubles out to everyone who's willing to listen, even less to a police officer.

He left after that and informed me they were going to look in this case. I thanked him sincerely. I don't want that rat to be walking freely anymore.

Everyone went home after some tears, some worried words, followed by words of reassurance and declared love. They all calmed down once the tests were okay and the doctor said my brain isn't damaged in any way.

The only one who stayed with me was Braden, no matter how persistent I was that he goes home ahead and rests some, because he's just barely standing on his feet. He seems at least five years older than he really is and I don't like looking at him like this.

But, of course, that stubborn, impossible man insisted that he stays and told me to stop sending him away because he's not leaving me.

I gave up with a huff and just appreciated that he was there with me when I most needed him, being by my side, no matter how tired he was.

I asked him how could he come back so fast from his trip to Norway and he said that he flew back with his private jet as soon as his driver informed him what happened.

He didn't sleep much the previous night, I know that. Only a few hours. And then he travelled a lot today, yet he's here with me, still looking at me as brightly as he can. As if I'm the sun on his sky.

He drives me back to my flat and I invite him in.

He looks at me as if I said something absurd. ''An army wouldn't hold me away from you,'' is all he says before he exits the car as I wait for him to come around, watching him like a hawk and willing my poor heart to calm down before I get a heart attack.

He opens the door for me and steps aside to give me space to step out. He gives me his hand and I take it, stepping out of the car and he closes the door behind me.

He goes around the car to the trunk, opens it up and takes out his suitcase. And then we go up, with him holding my hand, with the other rolling his suitcase.

And I swear nothing could keep that smile away from my face right now, no matter how in pain I am.

When we step into the flat, I realize how calm I become. There's been a constant tension and fear in me since I walked out of the hospital. I know I'm safe with Braden and he'd rather die himself than let anything happen to me, but a brain is a really funny thing (especially mine) at how it works. Over thinking and all that stuff, making me panic when I shouldn't.

''The only way I'm letting you sleep here tonight is because I'm here with you. Tomorrow, you're packing some things and you're staying at my place,'' Braden informs me briskly, almost casually.

I stare at his back as he goes straight to my bedroom and I swear I want to go on the rooftop and yell how much I love him. But I'm afraid there's just not enough rooftops to yell my love for him from. I've come to realize that he's protective of the people that mean something to him and I'm not going to be able to change that. I think I like it, anyway.

I go to the kitchen for a glass of water and drink it slowly as the tiredness crashes into me with full force, too, and I go join Braden.

I pause at the door as a big, tender smile spreads over my whole face, because Braden is laying in the middle of my bed with face down, still fully clothed, and lightly snoring – just loud enough to tell me he fell into a deep slumber.

I watch him for some minutes at the door frame, just letting it sink in that he's really here and he's here because of me. He flew back from his business trip because he was worried about me.

If I had any doubts before that I really do mean a lot to him, well ... now, I don't have any anymore. I don't care if he tells me he loves me or not. His actions are enough.

I close the door to the bedroom and go to him, starting to undress him. I remove his shoes and socks first. I have to turn him around then, which proves to not be an easy task, but I manage it anyway. He doesn't even stir and it almost makes me break out in a loud laugh. I have to bite my tongue to keep my mouth closed.

I get him out of his trousers and his dress jacket, then I unbutton his dress shirt, revealing all that hard muscle and his olive skin.

I bite my lip as I stare at him.

Greek Gods would be jealous if they knew of Braden's existence.

He's magnificent. I could never get tired of looking at him.

I quickly undress myself, too, and put one of his shirts over my head, crawling on top of the bed. I have to get the blanket out from beneath his body, tugging lightly, but hard enough to move it out, hoping I don't wake him.

I cover us both up and then I go to him, seeking the warmth and the safety only him and his tight embrace can give me.

He wraps himself around me in his sleep, sighing contently when I kiss him softly on the jaw as goodnight.

I fall asleep quick after that, shutting my brain down and not let it think about what happened today. I'm safe now anyway and there's always tomorrow, but for now, I'm getting the sleep I deserve and no one, not even that bastard of my ex is going to keep me up in the night.

***

I wake up in the middle of the night again with the slight pounding in my head and my mouth dry as Sahara. I untangle myself softly from Braden, careful to not wake him up, but it seems like he's sleeping too tight to even notice anything happening around him.

I stand from the bed, slowly so I don't get dizzy, and quietly go out of the room, careful not to hit anything in the dark.

Once I come in the kitchen and get a glass full of water I could start happily singing at how much better I instantly feel.

I don't feel like going to bed just yet, so I sit down in the kitchen and stare out of the window quite some time, the thoughts of the previous day starting to creep in.

What would happen if I wasn't strong enough to push him off me? I know there was a crowd of people walking past the sidewalk and I could scream anytime I could, but what if we were alone and no one could hear or see me?

What if he'd do something to hurt my baby?

I wrap my arms around my stomach softly, staring down at them.

This over thinking is killing me. The important thing is that I'm safe, my baby is safe and nothing big happened to me. Charles is going to pay for everything he did wrong.

I massage my temples as the first traces of headache starts creeping in. I drink the last drops of my water and want to rinse the glass when I hear a loud, fearful, ''Rory!'' startling me so much I jump up and almost drop the glass on the floor.

I turn my head to the door and to my bedroom where the shout came from. I quickly put the glass on the counter and almost sprint to my bedroom. I flick the light on and see Braden frantically walking around the room.

''Hey,'' I say softly, not wanting to call him by his name in case he's dreaming and he's sleep-walking.

He instantly comes to a stop and turns to me. I gasp at the lost expression on his face. He looks ... damaged, scared, like a wounded animal. His eyes are almost black, open wide in nothing but pure panic.

He stands in the middle of the room, staring back at me, seeming unsure of himself and what to do. He blinks a few times at me. ''You're here,'' he states as if he's really surprised by that.

My eyebrows furrow together. ''Where else would I be?'' I ask him softly, taking a cautious step forward.

Braden rubs his forehead, not dropping his eyes from mine. He seems to process something and when he puts his palms over his face, dropping his head back and rubbing his face, I know that something's wrong. ''I had this dream –'' his voice cracks and he has to take a deep breath before he can continue, not looking at me this time, ''I dreamed that you left me and I –'' he trails off, seeming lost in his thoughts. ''You weren't here when I woke up.''

It doesn't sound like an accusation. My heart clenches, because of the state he's in and because I know exactly how he feels. I've been in the same position so many times after he left ...

I don't hesitate by going to him and wrapping my arms around him because I sense he needs the comfort right now and I'm the one who can give it to him.

Braden is surprised for a moment, but then he wraps his arms around my back, squeezing me tightly. We just stand in the middle of the room, hugging each other. I caress his naked back, feeling his muscles become loose under my fingertips.

He unexpectedly lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. He sits us down on the bed, not loosing his hold at all.

Braden buries his head into my neck, exhaling loudly. ''Don't ever leave me, Rory. Don't ever go,'' he pleads and his voice is small, scared.

I put my hand in his hair, brushing it. ''I won't, Braden, I promise,'' I try to reassure him. I don't know what to tell him or what to do anything else than just hold him. ''I love you,'' I tell him.

He squeezes me tighter and leans back to look at my face. ''You know how you asked me a few days back if I'll ever be able to love you?'' he questions, tracing my lip softly with his thumb.

My body freezes involuntary and I stop breathing. ''Yeah?'' I ask carefully, afraid where this is going.

Braden smiles softly and he gazes admiringly into my eyes. ''And you remember my answer?'' he asks yet again.

My muscles become even tenser. Where the hell is he going with this? ''I do ...'' I tell him, truly not wanting to have this conversation right now.

''I said I can't guarantee you anything. But, Rory ...'' he sighs deeply. ''I love you.''

I stare at him. And then stare at him some more, because I think that I haven't heard him right. ''Uh, what?'' I'm almost afraid to ask. Because if I heard him wrong and it was just my brain wishing he'd said that to me, I don't want to hear anything else.

His smile deepens, although he also seems a bit nervous. ''I love you,'' he repeats, loud and clear.

Yep, definitely not my brain playing any tricks on me. ''You do?'' I sound unsure and I still can't process it. I'm in a state of shock and I can't get myself to breathe.

Braden smiles softly. ''I do.'' He brushed the strains of my hair back. ''I really do, Rory. I think I've loved you for some time now, but I was just too big of a fool to admit it to myself.''

Tears instantly well in my eyes. It seems like a dream because I've dreamed about this for so many times and woke up disappointed that everything right now just seems unreal to me. I put my hand over my lips to muffle the sob that desperately wants to escape me.

Braden drops his forehead on mine. ''No, don't cry,'' he pleads.

I blink a few times, willing the tears to go back inside because they're not needed now. I snort. ''It seems like I get emotional a lot lately.''

Braden looks at me with a spark in his eyes and then he fully laughs out loud. ''Is that what's waiting for me the next nine months?'' he mocks with a look of horror on his face.

I slap his shoulder and sniffle, all traces of crying now gone. ''Oh, shut up. It's you who put me in that state, sorry, buddy.''

Braden lifts his eyebrows up and he gets serious. ''Buddy?'' he repeats. ''I'm your buddy now?'' he questions, cocking his head to the side.

I purse my lips. ''Uhh ...'' I stare at him, carefully gauging his expression. It makes me mad that it's so hard to read him, because as a perfect businessman he is, he wears his poker face like he's been born with it. I sigh and give up with a shrug, hoping I didn't offend or piss him off with something, as I usually do. ''I guess.''

Braden's expression turns amused. ''I see,'' he states, not revealing anything else.

I swear that phrase is one of his favourite things to say when he wants to confuse and rile someone. I narrow my eyes at him. ''Uh-huh,'' I shoot right back at him, not staying indebted.

He flashes me his teeth. ''Come one, you little vixen. Let's go to sleep, we both need that rest.''

I don't object because I wouldn't mind having a few hours more of that promised sleep. Braden lifts me up and puts me down on the bed, sliding in right after. He covers us both and then wraps me in his arms.

When he kisses the top of my head, he asks, ''How's your head?''

At which I answer with, ''In this moment, it couldn't be better.''

His deep, throaty laugh rings in my ears, making me grin from ear to ear.

I feel all giddy and content and just over the moon because Braden freaking Campbell just admitted that he loves me! And this doesn't happen every day so you have to cut me some slack to feel completely out of place.

I just want to giggle and never stop. I want to shout and scream from the happiness.

I snuggle closer to his body. ''Braden?'' I whisper in the dark.

Braden hums a low, ''Hmm?''

''I love you.''

I feel him smile against my cheek. ''I love you, too,'' he whispers back as if we're sharing some secret.

And that's the most beautiful sentence I'll ever hear in any language if it only comes from Braden.

With that thought and with a big grin on my face, I fall asleep.

***

I wake up when the sun is high up on the sky, the grin still placed on my lips. I wake up in a really good mood, which it rarely happens, because let's face it, how many people are happy in the morning? Not me, that's for sure.

My good mood doesn't drop even when I straighten my arm and feel the cold space where Braden was laying the whole night.

I love you.

I put the pillow over my face and scream in it and then laugh with full force.

Because Braden Campbell loves me!

I feel like making some paper hearts and go on the streets and give them to the random strangers.

I don't even know where that thought came from, but I'm that happy and nobody better ruin my mood today because it won't end well.

I sit up on the bed just when the door opens and Braden comes in in nothing but his white, tight boxers. I smile involuntarily as I see him with his hair still tousled, his eyes still sleepy.

He pauses as he sees I'm up and he greets me with a breathtaking smile. Without any words, he walks to bed, leans with one knee on it, puts my chin in his palm to turn my head to the side and kisses me sweetly, but strong enough that I feel my toes curl.

I smile dizzily up at him as he breaks the kiss.

''Good morning, baby,'' he says, sweeping his thumb over my chin gently, his stare soft and loving, his eyes staring back at me with that familiar warmth.

''It really is a good one,'' I reply and can't hold a big grin back.

He sits on the back and softly places his hand on the back of my head. ''How's your head?'' he asks me for the second time in the mere hours.

I think about it. I don't feel much pain, only when I touch it or lean it on something, but otherwise it's not that bad. So I shrug in response. ''It's good. It doesn't hurt if I don't touch it.''

Braden's lips instantly turn into a straight line, his whole face darkens. ''The police better find that bastard before me, because if I do ... God so help me, he won't breathe for long.'' His hands turn into tight fists, his body becomes rigid and he gets that distant look that looks just plain murderous. I shudder.

I place my hand over one of his knuckles, softly gazing it until he relaxes a bit and then open his palm and intertwine our hands together, not ever looking away from his eyes. ''He's going to pay for everything he did, it's better that you don't put yourself into trouble over someone as lowlife as him,'' I say softly, trying to get his thoughts away from Charles, but Braden is persistent and when he wants something, he'll get it, so if he wants to talk about this, he will.

''Oh, trust me, he's going to pay for every single time he treated you wrong,'' Braden threatens and his eyes turn ice cold. It's good to know that his look – for once – isn't meant for me. ''Every. Single. Time,'' he repeats deadly.

I nod at him, trying to reassure him. And then Charles' words come into my mind. They bothered me since the moment he said them. ''Charles was badly beaten. Is there a chance you may know anything about that?'' I give him a chance to tell me if he stands behind that and not just accuse him.

Braden's eyes drop to our hands momentarily before he looks at me under the lashes. ''It wasn't exactly me who did that to him, although I wish I was,'' he says with no regret at all. ''I know the right people and ... what can I say? I just asked them for a small favour, gave them his address and they did their job.'' He shrugs carelessly as if it's no big deal at all.

It's my turn to press my lips into a thin, straight line. ''I know you meant well, Braden, and I like that you stood up for me, but if it means that it'll get you in trouble because of me ...'' I shake my head at him. ''I don't want you to do things like that, especially not for me. It's not worth it.''

Braden scowls at me. ''Rory, baby girl, everything's worth it when it comes to you. You're worth that and so much more and no one will disrespect my woman in any way. That low shit deserved it and you know that,'' he points out. ''And stealing the money away from you was a big straw from him.''

I look at him, deep in thought. ''Did you know that he was abusive before I told the police that?'' I ask him because I want to know how much information he has about me, because I never told him about my relationship with Charles, at least not the way he was with me.

Braden closes his eyes and traces his eyebrow with his finger. ''No, but I suspected he treated you badly. I wasn't sure that he was ... violent with you,'' he grits out, his hands forming fists again.

I wrap my palm around his arm, leaning my head against his shoulder. ''It's okay. It's over now and the police know. I just regret I didn't tell anyone about it sooner.'' I bite my lip and look up at him. ''Actually, I didn't know how bad I was treated before you came into my life and showed me.'' I give him a soft smile, which he doesn't return.

He puts his hand on my cheek, his thumb tracing the skin under my left eye. ''I wasn't treating you all that good, either,'' Braden says sadly, surprising me completely at how much pain rises in his eyes.

I try to sit up straighter, but he doesn't let me, so I just stay where I am and look at him all serious. ''Stop, Braden. I already forgave you and I won't let you beating yourself up for the rest of your life. It happened, it's in the past and it's done. We're here now and that's what matters,'' I tell him firmly, my tone final.

Braden sighs as if he can't accept my words. ''You truly are an angel sent from the heaven.''

I roll my eyes at him, but he continues.

''But I won't let myself anyone treat you anything less than a goddess, even less myself. And you have my permission to kick my butt if I do it.''

I laugh at how serious he truly sounds. ''That sounds really tempting ...'' I murmur, grinning up at him playfully, trying to lift the tension that settled in the room.

He finally cracks a small smile. ''I truly do love you,'' he says, making me almost get a heart attack.

I stop breathing and the words stick in my throat. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing him say that. ''I love you, too,'' I say back, my voice hoarse and filled with emotion. ''So damn much,'' I add in a whisper.

And Braden kisses me, thank God, before I could embarrass myself with the tears. He kisses me softly, moving his lips against mine like he has all the time in this world. When he licks my bottom lip with his tongue, I don't let him in at first, wanting to tease him, but Braden becomes impatient, groaning into my mouth and squeezing my hips so I give him what he asked for and a moan escapes me at the first touch of his tongue against mine.

I wrap my hands around his neck and reposition myself so I don't have to lean back, deepening the kiss. It soon gets filled with the lust, our bodies get electrified with the need, but Braden breaks the kiss and puts his head into my neck, breathing hard.

''We can't,'' he says, his voice weak and breathy and I can hear how turned on he is.

My eyebrows furrow. ''Why not?'' I'm close to whining, not understanding where is he coming from with that statement.

Braden chuckles, his laugh vibrating against my skin, sending even more chills down my body, making me crazy. He removes his head from my neck and looks at me with amusement. ''You had a concussion yesterday, Rory. And the doctor's orders were very clear – no activities for you for a few days.''

I huff and then groan. I trace his bare arm with my fingers, looking at him from under my lashes. ''I'd let you do all the activity.'' I bat my eyelashes at him, pouting my lips for a better effect.

Braden only throws his head back and laughs. ''You little vixen,'' he throws at me. ''Stop tempting me.''

I sigh and lean my head back on his shoulder. Braden wraps his arm around me, pulling me to his side. ''You know, I wonder if the police found the man who drugged me that night at the club,'' I wonder out loud and when Braden's body tenses up yet again, I realise what a huge mistake I made by speaking about this.

It's a sore subject for both of us. If Lily wasn't there with me that night ... I truly don't know what would happen with me.

''They did. He's already locked away behind the bars,'' Braden say with an ice cold tone, his voice vain of any emotions other than pure hatred.

I move my head away from his shoulder and look at him. Braden sees the question before I ask it out, but I do it anyway, ''How do you know that?'' My eyebrows furrow.

''Because I made sure he was found and got what he deserved. He admitted the crime, but it wasn't his only one,'' Braden explains, his face in a grimace as if he has a bad taste in mouth just by saying those words. ''It seems like this was a usual thing for him, but a lot of women weren't lucky enough to be saved before he did anything to them.''

I put my hand over my mouth in horror, my heart racing in panic. ''Oh, my God,'' I whisper, my eyes widening. ''I can't even imagine what a human being you are that you do something like that to the innocent people,'' my anger is speaking now.

Braden brushes my hair and puts my head back on his shoulder. ''This world is full of bad people, Rory, and they usually don't care if you're good or bad – they'll do anything to hurt you.''

''But why?'' I weakly ask.

''They're just screwed up in the head like that,'' is Braden's explanation and his voice gets distant. I wonder who he's thinking about, saying that.

We lie like that, wrapped in each other for some moments before Braden breaks the silence. ''Come on. Let's get something to eat before you're going to pack your things and we'll go to mine.''

I stare at his back as he stands up, not even bothered that he's still half naked. ''Don't you have work today?'' I ask him.

Braden rolls back his shoulder and looks at me over one shoulder. ''I should still be on a business trip right now, so no. But I have to go back to Norway soon,'' he says with pure regret.

''Oh,'' I say, truly sad that he has to go back and I'll have to be without him for three days. ''I hope you didn't have to go through too much of a trouble by coming back here. Because of me,'' I add the last sentence quickly, not feeling good about him leaving everything and flying back to me because of my stupid ex-boyfriend.

Braden raises his eyebrows, a small trance of smile on his lips. ''Rory, I got the call when I was in the middle of a very important meeting and I left twenty-three other people waiting for me in the conference room without any explanation. It doesn't look good for me, but it's a small price to pay for being with you and making sure you're okay.''

I frown, the guilty feeling settling inside of me, starting to eat my insides. ''I'm so sorry,'' I say sincerely. ''This is very bad for you.'' I scrunch my nose up.

Braden chuckles. ''I don't think I phrased that properly, babe. It's not bad for me exactly, it's just not really good for my business.'' His smile falters suddenly and his face fills with so much pain it makes my chest clench. He comes back on the bed, levelling our stare. ''What was bad for me was that I got the phone call that you're hurt and the only thought that was going through my head was, dear God, I just got her back. Don't take her away from me again.''

He puts his hands over his face, breaking our stare, but he puts them down and I see it's affecting him a lot, reliving those memories. ''I haven't prayed in a very long time, probably not since I found out my parents got into the car accident and I prayed that they were going to be okay. I never said a prayer since that day, but yesterday, I was praying the whole way I was flying back here. To you,'' he adds the last part gently.

A sob suddenly escapes me, completely unexpectedly, and to both our surprise, I become a crying mess. ''I'm so sorry,'' I sniff, not even knowing what I'm apologising for anymore. I desperately try to wipe my tears, but they just won't stop falling, damn them. ''You're putting me into an emotional mess,'' I tell him, my voice cracking at the end.

Braden looks panicked for a moment before he gives me a small, unsure smile. He probably doesn't know what to do with me.

''I'm sorry,'' I say again because I don't know what else to say.

Braden sighs and pulls me on his lap, wrapping me in his embrace, careful not to put any pressure on the back of my head. ''Stop apologising, for God's sake. There's nothing to be sorry for.''

I wrap my arms around him and will myself to calm myself down and stop embarrassing myself.

''When are you going back to Norway?'' I ask him just to think about something else.

''In a few hours,'' Braden says hesitantly.

This brings even more tears to my eyes and Braden holds me tighter. ''Okay,'' I say. But it's not okay at all because I'm going to miss him to death and now that I'm so used to being around him so much, it's going to be pure hell being without him.

''Do you want to start packing while I prepare a breakfast for us?'' Braden asks me gently, softly rubbing my back to calm me down.

''Okay,'' I tell him again and he kisses my forehead one last time. I hold my tears back until he closes the door behind him on the way out.

I cry the whole time while putting my clothes into my suitcase and I curse my pregnancy hormones for the hundredth time. 

WELL, WHAT ABOUT THAT?? Finally?! 

Do I hear a 'hell yeah?' 

I'm really excited and happy about this chapter, I hope you are, too! x