I wrapped both hands around it, and my mouth watered.
The first sip was heaven.
Cold water slid down my throat, and I drank slowly, careful not to make myself sick, but I didn’t stop until I’d swallowed half the cup.
While I drank, Cole moved.
He pulled the rolling table closer to the bed, positioning it where I could set the cup down easily.Then he dragged the chair closer and sat down heavily.
He leaned back, crossed his arms, and his eyes never left my face.
I swallowed again and set the cup down.“Where is my mom?”
Cole exhaled through his nose.“Hopefully sleeping in her own bed.Took everything Alice and Karmen had to convince her to leave last night.She only did when they promised one of the Lords would be here to watch over you.”
“Lords?”I asked, frowning.
“The MC, babe.”He paused.“Me.”
I nodded automatically, but my brain lagged behind his words.None of it clicked into place the way it should have.
Why him?
I wrinkled my brow and set the glass on the table.“Why?”
Cole smirked and kicked his legs up, resting his boots against the metal frame of my bed like he owned the place.“To make sure you’re safe.”His eyes softened for just a second before hardening again.“They still haven’t found the guys who jumped you in the parking lot.”
Something about his tone sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear.
“The police are still looking for them?”I asked quietly.
Cole let out a short, humorless chuckle.“Yeah.I’m sure they’re doing their own kind of looking.”His mouth curved in a way that wasn’t a smile.“But we’ll find them before they do.”
The room felt heavier after that.
My eyelids started to droop without my permission.The fog crept back in, thick and warm.I yawned again.
Cole noticed immediately.
“You should get some rest, babe,” he said, his voice lower now.“I’ll make sure nothing happens.”
I wanted to tell him I was fine.That I didn’t need watching.That I wasn’t some fragile thing that needed guarding.
But the truth was… I wasn’t fine.
My head still hurt.My body still ached.And the safety of knowing someone solid and steady was right there made it harder to fight the pull of sleep.
“I’ll just close my eyes for a bit,” I murmured.“But I’m not sleeping.”
Cole raised both hands in surrender.“Sure, sure.Just resting your eyes.”
I meant to argue again.I really did.
But my head sank back into the pillow, and the last thing I felt before the dark pulled me under was the weight of his gaze on me.
As sleep claimed me, my thoughts tangled around one question.
Why him?
