Page 69 of Scars of Silk

Her eyes fall and I slip off the bed, pacing my way to the lounge. The red mist I know so well urges me on, my fist flying out and connecting with one wall. Plaster and paint crumble to the floor.

“Dan!” Sienna shrieks and rushes to grab my arm. “Please, Dan. Don’t do that.”

It’s an almost reflective action, but I shake off her hold. To my horror, she flies back and lands against the arm of the sofa, crying out as she falls against the hard edge.

In a snap I’m awake, the red fury ebbing as quick as it arrived. “Shit, Sienna.” I go to grab her, but she pushes me away.

“Go away.”

I almost do. I almost turn and slip out into the night, but something in my chest makes me stop. It’s as though a tangible cord of fine silk has unravelled from where she’s crumpled on the floor and attached itself to my beating heart.

I crouch at her side, breathing deep, pushing out the rest of my anger. “No. I’m not going. Sienna, I’m sorry. I’ve never hurt any woman before.”

Her eyes flicker over my face, from my eyes to my mouth. “Yeah. I bet my dad told my mum that once too.”

I cringe at her words. “I’m not like your dad. That’s a promise. Sienna, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise how light you were.” That doesn’t explain it. Not well enough, but there is no other way to describe the light touch of my hand and her spin through the air.

“I didn’t mean to get Faith hurt.” She crumples a little and the woman who’s one of the strongest people I’ve met slips into a floor of tears.

“I know. I know. I didn’t mean what I said. It was just a knee jerk reaction.” I pull her closer. “Come, let's get dressed and then why don’t we get you to the hospital so you can help Elijah?”

“How many times can I keep going to the hospital to see people I’ve hurt with my actions?”

“Sienna. Stop, that’s not what’s happened here.”

“It is, Dan. This happens. I do something and then people get hurt.”

“You had nothing to do with this. Aiden is a fucking nutcase. It’s got nothing to do with you, or me.”

She shudders in my grasp.

“Come. Let’s go and help.”

A tear slips down her face. “You want to protect her like you’ve always done, because you still love her.”

“No. I want to go with you because I’m in love with you.”

She watches me, long and hard, and then nods. She stands, but I catch her back, my hands holding her still. “I will never hurt you. That’s a promise on my life. Never.”

“I know.”

“Good. Come on, let's go.”

I stay in the car while she goes inside to see how Faith is. I want to go in; hell, do I want to. But this isn’t my place. If Faith and I are going to get our friendship back, it won’t be because she’s in hospital. It will be because we got there and wanted it.

The whole time Sienna is gone, I drum on the steering wheel, my brain processing over the events of the evening.

It kills me not to react to what’s happened to Faith. Part of me wants to be on the A23 driving back to Brighton to pummel the living shit out of Elliot. But I made a promise to Sienna I wouldn’t hurt her again. If I did that, then I would.

So instead I sit and wait.

A waiting game that hurts.

When the door opens, I breathe a visible exhalation of relief. “How is she?”

Sienna’s face says it all. “She’s taken some damage. Her hands are broken, badly. But the baby is fine. Elijah is sitting there. You should see him, Dan. He looks like a man on fire. He was on his way home to tell her he was sorry for being an arse when he caught Aiden attacking her.”

I breathe in a shaky breath. That used to be my job, to protect her, but this time it was Elijah there.