Folk blew out a breath and forced his eyes open. “It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
“It’s an immune response to fatigue. You know this already. I’m just tired.”
It was hard to tell if Alexei was convinced, and I didn’t have the knowledge to challenge either of them. All I could do was wait until I heard the SUV pull up outside, then put my fucking foot down. “We’re going home. Now. And my house isn’t open for club business until I say so.”
Alexei nodded, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Youare a good man, soldier.”
“Back at you.” I helped Folk up. “But I still don’t want to see your face for a while unless you’re dropping by to cook dinner.”
Alexei’s reply was Russian.
Folk coughed out a laugh, but being upright took the wind out of it.
I steered him to the car and drove us away from the compound.
Folk rested his temple on the window and closed his eyes, but I could tell by his tight jaw that he wasn’t asleep. That he was fighting something.
I kept a hand on his arm, driving slower than my heart wanted to, taking every corner with undue care. “Tell me if you need me to pull over.”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
Five minutes from home, his head jerked up. “Can you pull over?”
I accelerated past an ancient couple towing a caravan and eased the SUV to a stop in a lay-by.
Folk got out.
I gave him a minute in case he needed to puke again. Then I realised we’d stopped at the highest point in the cliffs before the road turned inland again.
He’s going to jump.
I threw myself out of the car and shot around the back. But Folk wasn’t at the cliff edge. He was on the ground, leaning against the rear door, watching seagulls duel in the sky.
Relief pumped through my anxious veins.
I dropped down beside him, close enough that our thighs touched.
Folk sighed and lolled his head on my shoulder. “It stops when you’re close.”
“What does?”
He didn’t answer, and I let it go. There were lots of things inside me that only felt better when he was around. If I could be half of that for him, I was grateful to Mother Nature.
“There’s another storm coming,” he said after a while. “Look.”
He raised our clasped hands to point at the darkening sky, heavy rain already visible on the horizon.
I eased our arms back down, taking care not to jolt his body. “Is that an omen for something?”
“No. It’s a good storm. A reset.”
“Like the ones you jump in the sea for?”
“Yeah.”
