Broken

His apartment was small and sparsely furnished. After he had shrugged off his hoodie and threw it on the couch, Jade decided to follow suit. A ratty sofa and a coffee table faced an old TV along the wall. Jade searched for anything personal but couldn't find a picture, a book, a magazine, anything that would give her a hint about this infuriating man. But her quick visual search rendered no clues about the famous Tommy Riordan. "What are you, a monk?" she muttered. She could feel his eyes on her, probably taking in the ink under her tank too that decorated her now-exposed shoulders and back.

"And what are you, a cop? Sit," he commanded, pointing to the couch as he left the room.

Jade obeyed, huffing out a sigh as her ass hit the cushion. Really, he didn't need to be doing this. And what did he care, anyway? She wasn't a fucking damsel in distress, she could take care of herself.

Tommy returned then with some supplies, sitting opposite her on the coffee table. He began with a damp white towel, Jade watching in detached fascination as it become tinged pink with her blood, darker and darker as time passed. They were eye level as he worked, and she couldn't help but notice the stark grey-blue of his eyes. She stared at him in defiance, a silent protest to being taken care of.

The scent of hydrogen peroxide hit her nose and Jade looked down to see him tipping a bottle into some gauze. "This'll sting."

"Just fucking get on with it, will ya?"

He was surprisingly tender as he applied the antiseptic to the wound, his eyes searching hers as he did. Was he looking for a sign of pain? Weakness? She wouldn't give it.

Tommy must have caught on because he chuckled under his breath before turning away from her again. He came up with a couple of butterfly bandages and a knowing smirk on his lips. "You're one tough broad, you know that?"

She was half-tempted to smack his hand away as he approached her face again. "Fuck you."

Another chuckle passed his lips, much to Jade's surprise. Where was the gruffness, the rudeness that he was so famous for?

"All done," he said as he finished with the second bandage, gathering his supplies up in one hand as he pushed himself off the coffee table with the other.

She heard the sound of the sink running and figured now was the time to extract herself from this surreal situation. "I'll be heading out now, I guess, thanks." Jade listened for any sound of acknowledgement, but when she got none, started to shrug her hoodie back on anyway.

"Where you headed?" Tommy called out as he exited the bathroom, wiping his hands on a towel as he did.

"Going to finish my run," she replied, jutting her chin out in defiance. It was a silent dare for him to question her, stop her.

"Alright."

Jade watched as he threw his own hoodie back on, zipping it up before shoving his hands into his pockets. "Alright," she said with a a nod, then promptly walked out his door, closing it behind her as she did.

She started to run, down the stairs and into the street. Jade was running faster than her usual pace, wanting to feel the burn in her lungs to take her focus away from the burn in her heart. She wouldn't cry, she refused to. She would just run until she couldn't feel anything anymore. She wanted to punish herself.

The sound of footsteps running behind her put her on immediate alert. Jade stopped suddenly and turned around, fists raised and ready should she need them.

"You really are one tough broad," Tommy smirked. "No fear at all in that little heart of yours?"

Her heart was racing with the sudden surge in adrenaline, but the last thing she would do was let him know that. "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like, doll? Going for a run."

"You don't need to follow me, I can take care of myself," Jade fumed back.

"You've made that perfectly clear. And I don't believe you."

She couldn't remember the last time she had been so angry. She didn't fucking need anyone. But it was an argument that she was sure to lose, considering the events of the morning. So instead of throwing another retort Tommy's way, she but her tongue, turned away and started running for home, Tommy on her heels the entire way.