When he finally walked through the door, he was covered in blood again. He didn’t say a word to me as he pulled his shirt over his head and undressed, putting his clothes in a big plastic bag, as if there were a procedure for this sort of thing. He took a quick shower before he emerged in a pair of black boxers.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my racing heart slowing down as he came closer, bringing me peace.

He joined me on the bed. “It’s done.”

I nodded. “So…it’s over?”

“Yes. They won’t return.”

“Why…why did they do this?”

His arms rested on his knees, and he stared at the floor as he considered the question. “They wanted to do business with me. I said no. So, they decided to eliminate me and take it over themselves.” He turned back to look at me, his dark eyes giving me a look that said more than his words ever could.

Our fight never happened.

It was irrelevant now.

His hand moved into my hair, cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing my bottom lip slightly. The stare was endless, going on and on, and his expression slowly began to change. A slight shine moved to the surface of his eyes, a subtle redness, a tightness to his face. “If something happened to you…I wouldn’t have gone on.” He brought his face to mine and rested his forehead against mine. “Je t’aime, chérie. Je t’aime de tout mon cœur et de toute mon âme.” I love you, sweetheart. I love you with my heart, my soul, my everything. He inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes, gaining control of his emotions. “Je ne te quitterai plus jamais. Je te protègerai. Toujours.” I will never leave you again. I will protect you. Always.

It was the first time we went to bed together but didn’t make love.

We got under the sheets in the dark, my body on top of his, his thick arm wrapped around me, keeping me close. His lips rested against my hairline, and his deep and slow breaths became less frequent once he drifted off.

It only took a few minutes.

Like there was no hesitation anymore.

I was awake longer, the memories still so fresh, but knowing he was there helped me drift off too.

When my eyes opened the next day, it wasn’t morning.

It was two in the afternoon.

Fender wasn’t there.

I showered and got ready for what was left of the day before I went in search of him.