Being intimate with Ri didn’t take away from the way I felt about Collins, and she sure as fuck loved seeing the two of us together. It was no secret to Collins that I wanted Riley, too.
I still want him.
Am I in love with Riley, though? I do love him, there’s no doubt, but I won’t explore a deeper love with him until I know he’ll be okay. That after everything, I’m still what he wants alongside Collins. If our affectionate friendship is all he wants? All he can handle? Then I will be that for him, always.
I look at the beautiful soul in front of me and smile at her, knowing that if I told her I was head over heels for Riley, too, she’d be one hundred percent on board. But I give her the truth.
“I love Ri, but I’ll never push him for more if he doesn’t want that. When he’s healed and in a good headspace to decide, if he chooses to explore what we’d started, would that be something you’re comfortable with?”
“Of course,”she answers immediately with a whimsical, dreamy smile. “I still don’t understand how it happened, but the three of us just make sense, in any form.”
Christ, she’s perfect.
I’m about to tell her that, but her smile falls and her eyes turn distant, like she’s slipping away from reality again. I notice she’s also got her fingers laced together so tightly that her knuckles have turned white. I’m not sure what triggered it, but I lean forward and press my forehead to hers.
“Stardust,”I call to her, my voice soft but firm. Wedging my fingers between her clasped hands, I continue, “Come back, baby, it’s just us.”
She shakes her head and blinks once, slowly, like she’s not fully hearing me.
I switch tactics and ask her a question instead, trying to tug on that tether to get her mind back here with me. “We’re getting ready to go see someone, right?”
Collins’ lashes flutter, and she inhales a shaky breath. She gives me a barely perceptible nod but otherwise doesn’t answer.
“Who are we going to see?”
I give her hands a little squeeze in an attempt to garner more of her attention, and she turns her head to me, her eyes still someplace far off in her mind.
“See?”Her brows scrunch.
“Who are we going to see?” I repeat, this time a little louder.
She’s quiet for a moment, but then her eyes swing up to mine, her pupils focusing on my face again just before tears well up and her bottom lip wobbles.
“Riley,”she hiccups, and I wipe a tear that falls. “We’re going to see Riley.”
I smile down at her, my heart and mind steady now that she’s back with me. “Fuck yeah, we are.”
I offer to pick her up, but ever my strong woman, she opts to walk. The nurse comes in to give her pain meds, and we inform her of where we’re going. She doesn’t protest but also doesn’t look happy about us leaving the room.
Boo-fucking-hoo.
I dare any motherfucker to stop me from getting Collins to our boy.
I hold one hand in mine, the other wrapped around her waist to keep her steady as we trek our way down to Riley’s room. He’s on the same floor, but because he was in isolation, he was placed at the end of the hall, away from other rooms.
When we arrive, I have to gently tug Collins back by her waist to keep her from barreling into his room. The scowl she shoots at me is adorable at best, but I need to explain before she sees him.
“I have to warn you of something before you see him.” Her eyes flare, but I cup her face and plow on before she can freak out. “He’ll be okay, but they had him sedated. He’s supposed to start waking up soon, but there’s no knowing when that will be.” I swallow thickly. “He’s in rough shape, but they have him bandaged up. They had to shave part of his head to treat one of his wounds, so he might be missing a little hair. And like you, he’s got quite a bit of swelling and bruising.”
She looks at me like I’ve grown two heads. “I wouldn’t give a shit if they shaved him to look like bald blueberry, Creed. It doesn’t make me want him any less.”
“I know, baby. I just wanted to warn you of what you might see when you walk in, because I didn’t want you to drift away when I know you’ll want to be present for every moment with our boy.”
Understanding dawns on her, and the defiant set to her shoulders slumps. “I’m sorry. I—thank you.”
She hugs me, and I don’t hesitate to engulf her in my arms, burying my nose into her neck and inhaling her intoxicating natural scent. “Never apologize.” I kiss her neck, and she shivers at the contact. “You ready, Stardust?”
She doesn’t answer or wait for me before she turns on her heel, her fuzzy slippers shuffling as fast as her little legs cancarry her—as her soul tugs her in the direction of where she so desperately needs to be. All I can do is grin and hope for the best as she comes face to face with the man who owns the other half of her soul.
