Chapter 3: Strange Comfort

Josh Birk was a dead man when he woke up the next day. When he opened his eyes for the first time; he had found himself laying on the sofa with a blanket lazily throw over him. His body was sore all over due to being motionless for so long. He noticed a few plasters that covered his hands but other than that he didn't seem harmed. The Saints' penthouse was unusually silent and Josh wondered if they had forgotten about him and all gone out. He pulled the blanket off of him slowly and placed his feet on this ground. He noticed that he still had his shoes on and when he looked at where his head had been they wasn't even a cushion to comfort him!

Then the image of the Boss throwing him as far as she could out of the RPG's path and being propelled forward as the flames threatened to engulf her, flashed through the actor's mind. He ran a hand through his hair and now that he remembered that look on her face. He just knew that the Boss could've been in serious trouble. He didn't hesitate to stand up and make his way up the stairs to her room. When he approached the door he could faintly hear someone crying and shuffling and murmuring. He didn't know what to expect when he opened the door so he braced himself for the worst for he knew that everyone would blame him.

Stepping into the purple master bedroom he saw something that he didn't think he would ever witness. The Boss was unnaturally still, her body hidden by the bed covers, the slight rise and fall of her chest the only indication that she was alive. Shaundi was sat on the bed her hands gripping the Boss' as if she were a lifeline. Pierce stood next to Shaundi with a hand on her shoulder trying to reassure the woman that their fearless leader was just taking her sweet time getting back to them. Viola was simply staring out of the massive window, looking at nothing in particular as she was lost in thought.

The three of them turned to look at him, Pierce and Viola seemed to be relieved as his recovery but Shaundi wore a look of pure disgust and hatred that it tore him to pieces. White fury snapped within her and she reluctantly let go of the Boss' hands as she stood abruptly pushing Pierce away from her. She marched over to him from where he remained on the threshold and slapped him hard across the face.

"How dare you?!" She shouted, eyes blaring with rage as she looked about ready to kill him. "The Boss wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for you!"

Josh didn't know what to say to her, he's not sure any words would have comforted her but he never wanted to make Shaundi upset, never wanted to cause her pain. His silence only seemed to upset her more and she raised her hand to slap him again. However Pierce's hand lashed out and gripped hers tightly.

"That's enough, it's not his fault." His tone was solemn and his eyes were pleading with the distraught woman who merely stared at him like he had grown two heads.

Viola remained silent but left her vigil by the window and ushered Josh out of the room and back onto the sofa in the living room. Viola explained to him that it had been the Saints that had pulled up after the RPG had gone off and Pierce and Oleg had carried both himself and the Boss to safety and they raced back to HQ. He had been unconscious for the better part of a day, his injuries minor and thankfully they wouldn't leave any marks on his flawless skin. However the Boss' condition was far worse, she was still unconscious and she had burns all over her back.

He didn't really understand why she went through so much trouble to save his ass. He knew he was a handsome devil and it would be a shame for anything to happen to him but for someone who barely knew him to risk themselves so carelessly. Only those hired to protect them from the screaming hordes of girls would save him and he doubted they would risk death though.

"I don't understand why she saved me." He thinks out loud and frowns slightly when he catches Viola giving him an odd look. She looks as though she's about to say something but then Pierce's voice interrupts them.

"Boss always takes care of her family." Both he and Shaundi were coming down the stairs and they both appeared happier than they were a few minutes before.

"She woke up." Shaundi announces with glee but then she narrows her eyes at Josh and he can't help but squirm under her gaze. "She wants to see you."

To say he's surprised that the Boss wants to see him is an understatement. But then he realises that she mostly likely wants to put a bullet in him which makes him hesitant to fulfil her demands. However he now owes this girl his life as well as his freedom and just nods his head and back his way back up the stairs.

He walks straight into her room and stands at the foot of her bed. She's sat up with several pillows and cushions supporting her back and the bed covers have fallen so he can see that she's only wearing a thin vest top that barely stays on her shoulders. Her entire torso is covered in bandages and so are her arms. There a few cuts on her neck but remarkably her face is unscathed.

Her dark blue eyes are studying him intently and her expression is blank so he has no inclination as to what she may have in store for him. He's afraid to say anything for he doesn't think anything can possibly save him now. The Boss remains uncharacteristically silent and merely pats the bed beside her motioning for him to sit.

He can't decipher the look in her eyes but for some reason he is no longer afraid of her, at least not in this moment. He does as instructed and sits close to her and so she moves slowly as if not to scare him away as she moves her bandaged arms to wrap around his shoulders. He is stunned by her embrace and his is unsure of what to do. He knows that he should probably return the gesture but with the burns on her back that would hurt her.

He is confused as to why the leader of the Saints would want to hug him of all people but for the sake of staying alive he allows her this strange comfort. Her hands make their way up his neck and into his hair and rake through his gorgeous locks before tugging on them slightly. The feel of her hands scraping his scalp brings a warming tingling sensation throughout his body and Josh is once again afraid of what this girl is capable of doing to him but in a whole different fashion.

She puts her mouth close to his ear and whispers rather harshly. "I own you now."