"I am going to need a better reason on why you are trying to run away." He grumbled challengingly.

I shook my head and offered him no reply.

He scrubbed a tattooed hand over his face as a ragged breath left him.

"The last time that you went off by yourself you ended up in an accident. I had to watch you unconscious for three days." He panted his words out gruffly like they hurt him to say "I had to sit and watch you get life support from a machine. I had to listen to doctors try and tell me that you might not make it."

"I'm sorry." I muttered.

His nostrils flared and I could see the emotions inside of him fighting their way out as he grumbled "You can not just do that. I went insane waking up and wondering where you were and if you were okay."

"Because you are so forthcoming with information." I joked and then cringed before offering him an apology "Sorry. Low blow."

"Please tell me why you are avoiding me." He leaned his head down so that he could be closer to me when speaking "I need to know what is wrong and I need to know how to make things better for you."

"I'm scared!" I blurted out before letting out a small cry "I'm really scared."

His hands quickly came up to clutch at me. He cupped either side of my face with his strong calloused hands.

"You are never going to get hurt again." He rumbled, his voice rough and mellow "You think I would let that happen?"

"I'm terrified." I said again before I explained "I'm so terrified that you are going to leave me. I would rather lose you now when the pain is still raw. If we stayed together and you left me in the future, I don't think I would be able to handle it—"

"I am never leaving."

"But—" I began.

"I am only going to say this once." He uttered lowly while he made a fist with his large hand and pounded it into the middle of his chest "Because it fucking hurts too much."

I tilted my chin upwards and peering at him while waiting for his next words.

"If I found you in bed with another man, I would still never leave you." His deep voice broke as if he needed me to hear the truth but it burst him to say "I would tear the bastard apart but I would never hurt you. I would take you home and love you harder so that you would never think of leaving me."

A sob made its way up my throat. It was so painful that I raised a hand to my neck.

"Nobody loves anything more than I love you." He delivered as if it was a law rather than a proclamation.