Finding His Sun

Chapter Six

Adam got off work early and headed to the party. He knew exactly where the house was, every party senior year was at this house. He got there and there were already dozens of people piled into the house and outside. He walked up the house and saw Erin’s car. He felt a rush. Why did his heart skip a beat? He shook his head and tried to focus on the night. He walked into the house to find all of his old high school friends. They cheered when he walked in. 

“Mr. Cowboy decided to hang out with the city folk!” Liam yelled already intoxicated and tipped Adam's cowboy hat. 

Adam just shook his head and grabbed a beer. He made some small talk with people he hadn’t seen in a while. He walked through the house not sure why he wanted to come here. He started to feel closed in and already done with the party just after twenty minutes. He wandered outside for fresh air and the stars. 

Here in the city it was hard to see the stars. But just being outside instantly made him calmer. As he was about to walk into the house again, he heard a cry. He walked around the house and his excitement turned to fear. Erin Cayhill, lying in the grass. What the hell? 

Bruised and beaten as she was pulling herself up. He ran over and she flinched. Anger slowly spread through his body. Not only because someone had hurt her, but she had the thought that he would hurt her too. He felt his whole body go red, but then his eyes met the endless ocean of her's; they looked at each other and a single tear rolled down her cheek. His legs went weak with grief. He slowly approached her this time carefully. Why? Why her? She looked at him with pleading eyes. It wasn’t a look of hurt or for help but embarrassment.

“Erin… What happened?”

That one question sent her into a whirlwind of emotions. Once she started crying, she couldn’t stop. It was as if the floodgates of pain and fear from the past five years had been shoved open and she was being strangled by the current. She tried to move but couldn’t, the pain was too much to bear. Adam touched her arm, and she let him. Why would she let him touch her? Why does she trust him?

He then picked her up in his arms, she tried not to cry in pain. Her head was spinning, and it felt like daggers being plunged into her every time she moved. He wrapped her in his jacket and headed to his truck. What is he doing? He set her down on the passenger side. His hands were on her arms, it hurt, but she didn’t want them to let go. 

 “I’ll be right back. I promise”.

She sat there silently crying, wondering why she was letting this happen. Wondering why she wanted him to help her.

He walked back to the house, furious. His heart pounding like his boots against the concrete. He looked all over for Ryan, he was drunk, dancing on the coffee table. Breathe Adam. He didn’t want to lose control. He looked around for the face he wanted to beat to a pulp, but he didn’t see Mason. He decided to just head back to the truck, Ryan wouldn’t notice if she was gone anyways. He got back to the truck and Erin hadn’t moved. He didn’t know if it was because she didn’t want to, or her frail body wouldn’t let her. Either way he was relieved to see her.

The whole ride to Adam’s house was silent. Erin had stopped crying, but Adam’s heart was still pounding. He pulled in the ranch. He walked to the passenger side where Erin was trying to get out.

“Hey hey! You should stay still, I can help”.

“No, I'm fine! Don’t worry about me” she tried to say, holding back tears. Damn she is stubborn. “I promise I can just walk home from here”.

He was taken aback by her determination, and strength. But she needed help...

“No. Come here” he swooped her up in his arms with ease and climbed the stairs to his wing of the house.

He laid her on the couch, and she yelled out in pain. He went to the medicine cabinet and grabbed whatever he could, and a couple of pain pills. He was guessing she most likely was not going to the hospital. He came back to see her fighting to sit up, he admired her will but knew she needed rest. He took off his jacket he had placed on her and scanned her wounds. Bastard.

Erin felt destroyed every time Adam looked at her. She knew Adam, he had his head on straight, he knew exactly what he wanted. He was known for his leadership and strength around everybody. She admired that in him and felt so little when he looked at her. Of all people Adam Graves was seeing her at her worst. Her pain overtook her. She felt his hands trying to heal wounds that could never be healed. She was broken and there was nothing he could do to fix her. But deep inside, she wanted him to try.

“Where does it hurt the most Erin?” he asked with a low voice. 

His voice sounded like honey with that country drawl, and his presence was just as nice. She looked at him for a second before the pain hit again. He had already taken off his cowboy hat. His black hair was grown out of his usual buzz cut; not too long but just enough to be messy. He had on a dust colored Carhart t-shirt, blue jeans, and boots. She didn’t know why but just looking at him sent shivers through her body.

She didn’t answer. He knew she wouldn’t say who did this, but he had a good idea. His rage was only getting stronger, but it was dissipated to an ache when he looked at her in pain. He saw her deep blue eyes buried in tears and bruises. He tried not to stare, but all he wanted to do was fix her. He didn’t know how, but he promised himself he was going to try.

“Erin, I am so sorry. If you want to go to the hosp- “

“No! It’s just a few bruises. I’m used to it…”. His heart broke even more as her voice tapered off.

“Okay. But you will stay here until you get better”

“Please, I can take care of myself! I’m okay!” she said with a shaking voice. She tried to sound confident, but it just came out as weak as she looked.  

“I have a feeling you always take care of yourself, and everything else around you. Now, I know you want to do this yourself, but you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not. So, let me help you”.

She didn’t say a word, only nodded her head. No one had talked to her like that, no one had cared enough. His authority did not scare her but comforted her. He helped her to the bathroom and ran hot water for her. He went and got her some of his clothes and put them on the counter. He didn’t know what he was feeling, but he knew it would get him into trouble.