His Broken Princess

Chapter Eight

Sometimes all you need is a hand to hold and someone to walk beside you.~A. Gupta

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Cole

She held up a purple onesie and looked at it as she lightly caressed her fingers on the soft fabric. And I looked at her.

I watched as a soft smile played at the corner of her lips. No one would know it was a smile but by how much I have observed her, I have come to learn every minuscule change of her expression. She put the onesie in the cart, just like I knew she would. It was the sixth one. There was already a white one, yellow, blue and green. I shook my head and walked a few steps toward her as she started to once again wander into the toys section. 

I’d had enough of this.

“What are you doing?”

She startled at my voice and turned around to face me. Wide blue eyes blinked up at me and her lips parted before she licked them and signed, ‘What?’

“We are here to buy you something. And we haven’t even stepped into the boutique yet.” I said as I slipped my hands into my jeans pockets before I gave into my desire and trailed the back of my fingers down her soft cheek. Or slip my arm around her waist.

She pursed up her lips and then her hand went to the cart no doubt to grab her little notebook from the small carrier in it. She picked up her notebook and flipped it open but before she could write in her notebook, I said, “No. That’s enough of onesies and toys. I doubt that kid would be able to wear each one of them you all have bought him or her.” She shook her head. I narrowed my eyes and said, “He isn’t even born yet.”

I bit back a smile as her shoulders slumped down on that and she gave a sad little look to the toys before turning around toward the bill counter. I grabbed the cart before she could and walked ahead of her, I was afraid she would stop to buy tiny socks next. I was pushing the cart toward the counter when I realized that she had fallen back. Turning around I looked for her and found her in an art section. 

There was a thoughtful look on her face and she was biting down on her lower lip. I watched as she picked up a kit of colors and then quickly put it back. A girl from the sales department came forward and said something to her. Violet only shook her head in response and then walked away from there.

I found her standing outside the shop looking around the mall with a curious yet a little hesitant look on her face. I said, gaining her attention, “Let’s go. I left the bags inside, we will take them when we come back.” She nodded her agreement. I said, “We have to go on the first floor. The boutique is up there.” She turned to me with her brows lowered in a frown. “What is it?” I asked, reading her hesitation.

Her fingers twitched as she opened her notebook and it took her a few long seconds to write before she held it out to me. ‘I don't want to go on those moving stairs.’

I followed her gaze and looked at the escalator. When my eyes came back to her she was looking down at her sneakers. I had no idea what to say so for a few moments we just stood there in silence. And then my gaze fell on the small kid that was jumping up and down near the escalators with his small hand tucked into his father’s. 

“Look.” I said to her and pointed at the kid. “Do you see his excitement? It’s probably because he is afraid and also happy at the same time to try a new thing.” I turned to face her. “Would you like to try it? We could walk there and wait a few minutes for you to not be nervous about it. And then we would go upstairs.”

Her pen went to her paper. ‘We could try.’

I bit back a smile. “Come on, then.”

When we reached the escalator the kid was already stepping on it. His father slightly lifted him off the floor and made him jump on the steps. I asked her, “Shall we?” 

She shook her head, her lower lip turned red and inviting as she bit into it in nervousness. Ignoring that base part of me, I said, “Come on, it will be alright. I am here.”

When she met my gaze, I showed her the sincerity in mine. I won’t let anything happen to her. No matter what, no matter how, but I’ll always protect her. I didn’t know when and why I decided to be her protector but I couldn’t not do it. I wanted her to start living, to be happy and to feel safe for once in her life. And I wanted to be the reason for all of it. 

She gave me a jerky nod and we stepped forward behind another couple in front of us. Just as the two in front of us stepped on the escalator and our turn came Violet stiffened beside me. Her anxious eyes came to me and she shook her head in denial. Her lips parted and I held her breath. But she didn’t speak and yet the words formed on her lips. I can’t.

“Violet, there is nothing to be afraid—” I looked down at what she wrote and continued, “No, you are not going to fall. I won’t let it happen.”

‘We should go back home.’

‘I don’t need more clothes.’

 I shook my head and replied, “No. We are not going home. We are going upstairs and on the count of three you will step forward with me.” Once again her pen went to her notebook. I rolled my eyes and snatched it from her. Her eyes flew up to me and narrowed. I almost chucked her under the chin. Damn, she was beautiful and she was adorable too. 

“One. Two. Thr—”

I forgot how to speak. My voice got stuck in my throat as my eyes went to my hand where she just slipped hers and we stepped on the escalator. Together. Her fingers trembled slightly and I curled mine around hers. She felt soft and fragile and small. And now I wanted to press a kiss on the back of her hand or on the inside of her wrist. Trace that vein that throbbed with my tongue. I wanted her hand in mine like this. Always.

Fûck.

I swallowed. For some reason I was the one afraid now. Her blue eyes lowered then she turned slightly to look behind. Her lips fell apart in surprise. “You did it.” I said softly, feeling my chest aching at the proud spark that filled her eyes as she realized that she was moving up on the escalator.

I thought that she would slip her hand free now that she was fine but instead her fingers slid between mine and she tightened her grip. When I looked at her, there were two bright red spots on her cheeks and she was once again looking down on her sneakers. 

Damn. I need to get it under control or I would end up scaring her with the way I felt right now. This was totally wrong. She was starting to trust me which made me want to let go and show her a little more of how I felt, show her a little more of who I was. And that would definitely scare her.

It damn well scares me. 

Because how the f**k did I fell into this so deep and so easily. How the f**k from very first moment my eyes fell on this girl she had captured not just my attention but every single thought of the day. I should not think about her. I should not try to gain her trust. I should not make myself an intricate part of her life when there was no telling how long I have. Doing all these things was playing with her emotions and at the end I would end up hurting her. 

Which. I. Did. Not. Want. To. Do. At. Any. Fcking. Cost. 

But then how the hell would I be able to stay away from her especially when I. Did. Not. Want. To.

A.Gupta