“I can’t see you like that again,” he says, his voice unsteady.“You don’t know what you looked like.”
The realization that he’s not commanding but pleading hits me like a wave.I soften, reaching for him again.“Hey.I’m fine.”
He bows his head, shoulders tensing.“I can’t stop seeing you bleeding out.Every time I close my eyes, it’s all I see.”
I wrap my arms around him as carefully as I can with my injury, pulling him closer.“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper into his hair.
Helen’s words echo in my mind.I’ve never seen my son cry before.My heart squeezes painfully in my chest, and I make a decision.For once in my life, I’ll be the one to take the leap first.
His arms come to wrap around my neck, and I can feel how unsteady his breathing is.
“I love you,” I say, the words hanging in the air between us.Caleb goes completely still in my arms, not even breathing.When he tries to pull back to look at me, I tighten my grip.“Don’t,” I warn, suddenly scared.“It took all my courage to say that.”
But Caleb is persistent.He pulls back anyway, his hands coming up to cup my face.His eyes are searching mine, intense and hopeful.“Say it again,” he pleads softly.
I huff.“No.”
“Please,” he says, and there’s something in his voice I’ve never heard before.Need.
“I love you,” I repeat, barely above a whisper, unable to meet his eyes.
A smile breaks across his face, brilliant and unrestrained.“Will you believe me if I tell you I love you, too?”he asks.My eyes widen, my heart stuttering in my chest.“I love you, Eve Lopez,” he says again, his thumbs stroking my cheeks.“I’ve been in love with you for months.”
“You have?”I breathe, hardly daring to believe it.
“I don’t know since when, but you’re all I can think about.I’m stupidly in love with you.”
I laugh, then wince as pain shoots through my side.
He kisses me, soft and careful at first, mindful of my injuries.But when I thread my fingers through his hair and pull him closer, the kiss deepens, becomes something hungry and desperate and full of everything we’ve been holding back.
When we break apart, we’re both breathing hard.Caleb rests his forehead against mine again, his eyes closed.“You scared me,” he admits.“When I saw you bleeding...I thought I’d lost you before I ever really had you.”
“I’m tougher than I look,” I tell him, but my voice isn’t quite steady.
“I don’t want you to have to be tough.”His fingers comb my hair, his eyes intense.“I just want you to be okay, to be safe.No more picking fights with people twice your size.No more getting stabbed for me.I don’t think I can handle it.”
I frown.“You make it sound as if I have a habit of doing both.”
“Eve.”
“Fine,” I sigh.“Can you call my family in so that I can get this over with?I’m going to need pain medication after they’re gone.”
“Okay.”He kisses me on the nose before heading out.
A few minutes later, my mother rushes in, followed by Marco and Rafael.
“Mija!”My mother is pale.“You’re finally awake.”
“Eve.”Marco squeezes my hand, kissing me on the forehead.“How are you feeling?”
“I’m better.I just woke up.How long have you guys been here?”
“Your young man called us last night.He was so upset.We came over, but the doctors said only a few people so Marco and Rafael stayed with me.Rafael, tell everyone she’s awake.They can come see her.”
“Mamá,” I protest, but she ignores me.
“They’ve all been calling.Gabriella was crying all night.You scared us,mija.”
