Love Unbreakable

Roscoe Roscoe grasped Nicole's ankle gently, yet his touch was steady and did not interfere with his task.

Clad in disposable plastic gloves, Roscoe applied an ointment that brought a cooling relief and numbed the pain.

The sensation was so comforting that Nicole found her toes involuntarily curling, her pulse thudding audibly in her ears.

Roscoe's expression remained detached throughout the procedure.

Once he finished with the ointment, he discarded his gloves in the trash bin, along with the porridge Jarrod had brought, without a second glance.

He exited briefly, returning with a thermos in hand, and proceeded to elevate the bed.

"Nicole, would you prefer to feed yourself, or shall I assist?" he inquired, his politeness unwavering.

Nicole, still somewhat dazed from the treatment, only registered his question when he repeated it.

She reached out slowly.

"I can manage on my own.” As her fingers brushed against his, Roscoe insisted, “Stay still.

I'll handle this.” Roscoe set up a small table, expertly transferred the porridge into a bowl, and fetched a spoon.

Nicole couldn't help but notice the pristine beauty of his hands, his nails short and clean, his veins subtly pronounced against his clenched fists, signaling strength.

Her cheeks flushed with heat.

This wasn't the first time he had tended to her wounds.

As Roscoe handed her the spoon, Nicole's hunger surged, especially for the shrimp-corn porridge, her favored dish.

She began to eat with an earnest appetite.

After the meal, Roscoe cleaned up the table and returned the bed to its original position.

“You should rest now, Nicole.

I'll be here to look after you,” he offered.

But Nicole's head shook in denial.

"No, Roscoe." Roscoe's gaze was intense as he watched her silently.

turned her face away, not

father’s support for your

for the

with me lately seems to suffer.” Roscoe listened without

disheartened when you didn't recognize me before.” Nicole recalled their encounter at the hospital's safe corridor, but her mind was a haze back then, thanks to Jarrod, leaving

Roscoe, he was a young teen of fifteen, one of many in a crowd where her father

She didn't remember him.

years had passed

was an intern at the

probed, "Nicole, do you love that man?” Her response

only at this moment that

monster who refused to let her

felt Roscoe's touch steering her

your wounds, hoping

were clear and compelling, making Nicole find it hard to stand his

next words,

want to drag

before Roscoe could voice his thoughts, Nicole interjected, "Roscoe, to

him, my bond

turned out well, and that would please

that..." With that, Nicole suggested they keep things as they were, effectively

turn her

silent, gazing at

his head, halting just before his

a whisper, Roscoe vowed, "Nicole, once I surpass that man, you will be mine.” Left alone, Nicole's mind

hell? In her eyes,

his words somewhat unsettled

a Friday morning, Raegan got a message from Bryce,

her location

made her way downstairs after learning

paces from the door, she spotted a black off-

seat, beckoning her over

the door

in the back, her presence almost

at

is she your tutor?" Bryce merely

was

Raegan, and