“She’s going to be so fuckin’ upset, Cole,” he hisses. “Maybe I should do it and you could stand watch with Reece?

“Why would she be upset?” I ask. She’s passed out for cryin’ out loud! “You don’t even have to tell her I helped.” I continue to tug at the material, slipping her right arm through. Link’s hand clamps down on mine.

“Don’t,” he says loudly. “She doesn’t know I know, but I don’t think she’ll be as upset with me as she will be with you.”

“What the hell are you talkin’ about, Roberts? Let’s just get her dry before she wakes up.” He’s starting to work on my nerves.

“Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Trenton,” he sneers. He yanks away, glaring at me as I pull the sweater and tank over her head, maybe a little too roughly.

Bridget whimpers as she comes to. Her chest now only covered in a bra starts to rise and fall with rapid breaths. Link forgets about being angry with me and grabs hold of her hand, but she yanks away from him, and that’s when I see it … the scars.

Her right arm comes up to protect her face and she throws her body forward into a fetal position. The skin stretching from her elbow, over her shoulder and down half of her back is scared. It looks like someone chewed bubblegum and then stuck it on her. It looks silky smooth in places only to be raised and bumpy in others.

I reach out and touch her trembling back softly, not wanting to scare her more than she already is. She flinches at my touch and arches her back away from my fingers.

“Bridget,” I whisper past the lump in my throat. Is this the reason she always avoided me? “I have a shirt for you. Let’s get it on you.” I inch closer and hold the shirt out to her. She doesn’t look at me as she reaches for it. When her fingers touch mine, she yanks back and quickly tugs the shirt on.

“Birdie,” Reece says, stepping forward. Bridget’s head snaps up as she yanks the shirt into place. She stares at Reece and I watch as Reece cowers back. “I didn’t know. You never told me. Please don’t be-,” before Reece can finish her sentence Bridget darts forward.

“Shit,” Link curses.

I’m off and after her before Link can move a muscle. She sprints across the car park towards the street. I have length and training on my side and catch up with her as she reaches the main gate. She slows her pace to slip out and I grab hold of her arm, swinging her back to me.

“Wait, Bridget,” I say.

Breathless, she tries to yank free, her eyes jumping wildly between my chest and the street. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop Wyatt.” Maybe if I apologize for my cousin’s stupidity she’ll calm down.

She bites her bottom lip, but it doesn’t stop the sob from escaping, and then the words come. “It’s not Wyatt! It’s me! Why do you think I tried so hard to be invisible? You saw it! Why are you still standing here?”

“The scars?” My eyes jump to her right arm and she immediately shoves it behind her back. “Don’t hide them from me.” I reach around her body and taking hold of her arm, I pull her arm back. With every breath she takes I feel her chest push against mine. “The scars don’t make you, Bridget.” I run my fingers up her arm, again thinking how soft they are. “Besides I’m going to God only knows where. Who knows what I’m going to look like when I get back.”

She sucks in a breath and through everything she’s been through tonight she only starts to cry now. I wish I could take back my words as the tears roll over her cheeks.

“How can you say that?” She rasps, a pained look on her face. “How can you stand there and tell me you might get hurt?” A sob stops her from talking and she drops her forehead to my chest. “You can’t get hurt,” she whispers against me. “You have to come back, Cole. If I can’t see you driving around town … if I won’t see your face again then life will be too dark … I can’t live like that. You have to live so I have something to live for. Promise me!”

I lift her face to mine so I can see her eyes. I raced to school every day so I could see this face. I never thought I’d hold her, much less hear her ask me to live for her. Tonight is supposed to be the happiest night of my life, but it feels like I’m saying goodbye.

“I promise, Bridget. I’ll do everythin’ in my power to always give you a reason to live for.” I hug her body to mine hoping I’ll be able to keep my promise to her.

~*~