No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

hands and sobbed into them. Sterling surrounded her in a hug, yet Abby bucked her elbows at him, attempting to thwart his efforts to console her.

“Abby, please stop. Stop.”

She cried out loud as she slowly sunk into his arms.

The same staff member walked toward them. He raised his hand and pointed at Abby. “Ma’am. Are you okay? Do you need help?”

Sterling shook his head at him. “She’s okay. She’s just had a little bit of an upset tonight. I’m here to help her.”

The worker ignored Sterling’s effort to explain and turned toward tear-stricken Abby. “Is that true?” Sterling reined in his growing frustration with the staff member. Instead, he ran his fingers through varied strands of her hair and concentrated on soothing and consoling her as much as possible. Abby nodded at the staff member who, after receiving the response he needed, promptly left their side and walked back to the diner.

Sterling appealed to Abby. “Let me take you home or if you want you can stay with me tonight. But that’s up to you. Tell me what you want, Abby. What you need.”

Sterling caught her teary-eyed gaze. Her trembling lips surged to the surface an urgent need to protect her. “Am I unlovable?”

Her question pierced through tender areas of his heart. His gaze, fixated and forceful, focused on Abby. How could she question her worth?

“Of course not! He was an asshole. He didn’t deserve you. He never did.”

He swirled lazy circles across her upper back with his fingers, mixing the loving gesture with tousling random strands of her hair in between gentle caresses. “Please. Talk to me, Abby. Tell me what you need. But don’t tell me you’re not good enough because you are. Any man would be lucky to have you in their life. I know I am . . .” He left his confession lingering in the air between them. He’d do anything for her. Anything. The way Phil’s secret came out tonight was the worst possible scenario. Sterling remained ashamed he’d been a part of the horrendous unveiling. If he could take it all back, he would, for Abby.

“I’m sorry, Abs. I shouldn’t have told you about Phil the way I did. I was angry, and you had called me. One thing led to another and now, here I am. I’m so sorry, Abby. Please tell me how I can make this up to you.”

She straightened up. Taking a step back, she swiped at her eyes before she croaked out several words. “Take me home.”

Sterling reached for her. She hesitated several seconds before slipping her hand within his.

He gently squeezed her fingers. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

He led her toward his car which was thankfully, still parked and running. If anyone had taken off with it, he supposed he’d have to figure out how to report it stolen and find another way home. In no frame of mind to make sure everything was locked up and secure, he’d chased after Abby without another thought as to the possessions he left behind. He moved, purely on impulse, afraid for her safety, and unconcerned for anything else. He pictured Abby running into traffic, trying to get away from him. Whether she’d act upon an erratic impulse like that, he hoped to never know. Yet, Abby was a passionate, impulsive soul and the last thing he wanted was to find her injured because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

He helped her into the passenger seat and then, quickly, slipped behind the driver’s seat before steering the car out of the parking lot and onto a side road. He’d just crossed the main road when she leaned onto his shoulder. Interlocking her arms just above his elbow, she nestled her head against his upper arm and sniffled. He always loved it when she leaned into him. Yet now, it seemed she needed him more. Sterling was willing to give her anything she wanted if it brought her peace and joy once again.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

He felt her shake her head. “No. I just want to be with you.”

God, he loved it when she needed him. Yet, she needed peace and rest more than company at this moment. “I’m still taking you home, right?”

“No. I don’t want to be alone tonight. Can I go home with you?”

He sucked in a breath of air. To hear those words in another context, at another time, would mean the world to him. Yet Abby was in pain. She needed to heal.

“Of course. I told you that I’ll take you anywhere you like.”

She planted a kiss just underneath the sleeve of his t-shirt across part of his tattoo. Her soft lips seared over his skin, creating their own permanent etching within his memory. His head fell back onto the headrest as her gentle words pinged across his eardrums. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he whispered back, turning toward her in time to catch her eyelids closing.

Less than thirty minutes later he rushed her quickly through the front door in an effort to avoid any inquiry from his dad. The last thing she needed was to re-live the reasons why her eyes were red. His dad would naturally be curious, as to what happened between her departure and return, starting a game of twenty questions neither of them wanted to play. Yet, he had no reason to worry as it seemed his dad was already in bed and nowhere near the front entrance.

Ascending the stairs, he made his way to his bedroom when he heard her footsteps behind him. She ran into his chest when he abruptly swiveled toward her.

He brushed the back of his hand down her right cheek and gently asked, “Where are you going?”

“I thought I’d stay with you and Gunner tonight.”

“You sure?”

Her soft irises looked into his. “I need you. I need your arms around me, please.”

He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. “I can’t deny you. Anything you need, I’ll surely give you.”

He lowered