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.

her face away, not daring to look

for

for the help you've

anyone entangled with me lately seems to suffer.” Roscoe listened without a flicker of

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 no space

seen Roscoe, he was a young teen of fifteen, one of many in a crowd where her father had taken her to aid the underprivileged,

She didn't remember him.

had passed

Roscoe was an

"Nicole, do you love that man?” Her response came swift and

only at this moment

not the monster

Nicole felt Roscoe's touch steering her gaze back

I dressed your wounds, hoping you'd understand my

compelling, making Nicole find it hard to stand

next words, Nicole averted

to drag anyone else into

before Roscoe could voice his thoughts, Nicole interjected, "Roscoe, to me, you're

no love for him, my

turned out well, and that

it at that..." With that, Nicole suggested they keep

Nicole tried to turn her face away, Roscoe grabbed

gazing at

halting just before his thin lips

"Nicole, once I surpass that man,

hell? In her eyes, Roscoe was

now, his words somewhat

from

sent her location

downstairs after learning Bryce’s

door, she spotted a

the passenger seat, beckoning her

pulled open the door

Eloise was seated in the

eyes narrowed at the sight

questioning sharply, "Bryce, is she

air was thick

toward Raegan,