I help her to the bed and lie on my back with her lying over me like a blanket. Nova trembles and buries her face in my throat, her sobs wracking through her and into me.
“Don’t let go. Please don’t let go!” She claws my neck in her desperate attempt to hold me.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say.
She doesn’t hear me because of the music blasting through her headphones. I tighten my arms around her and kiss the top of her head before easing a muff from over her ear just enough for me to speak to her.
“Focus on my voice.” I thread my fingers through her hair.
She peeks at me through her wet lashes, her eyes unfocused and pained. I kick off my boots before covering us with her duvet. I kiss her forehead and smile at her, giving her the normal she needs to feel safe so that she can escape the past.
“Do me a favor.” I swipe my thumb under her eye to catch a tear. “Name five things you see right now.”
Her fingers dig into my chest, and she turns her head to peek around the room. Her eyes bounce back and forth as she searches for anything to list, but they’re still unfocused.
Pinching her chin between my fingers, I ease her face toward me and give her a soft smile. “You can do it, baby. What do you see?”
She swallows and lets out a shaky breath. “You.”
I nod and brush my thumb over a spot on her jaw. “What else?”
“The tattoos on your neck. Your earrings.” She swallows hard. “My pillow beneath your head. My bed.”
I smile. “Good. Now, four things you can touch.”
We go through the grounding technique until she gets to one thing she can taste. Because her gaze appears more focused and she’s no longer trembling, I lean forward and kiss her softly to help her.
Nova’s eyelashes flutter, and her cheeks pinken. “I taste you.”
I grin and wind a lock of her hair around my finger. “You did great. Stay here with me.”
She nods and buries her face in my neck. I shiver as her warm breath fans against my skin, and I focus on it, ensuring she doesn’t spiral into another panic attack. I fix the muff over her ear so she can listen to her music while the storm continues to rage outside.
I don’t know how much time passes while I hold her. My eyelids get heavy, and I fight the sleep that tries to take me under. I don’t want to pass out while I need to be here with Nova and ensure that she’s safe.
Leaning to the side, I check her face and find her passed out, lips parted with her even breaths. I relax into the pillow and rub gentle circles on her back, listening to the storm. Once it passes, I take off her headphones so she’s more comfortable.
My phone’s ringtone sets my teeth on edge, and I scramble to answer it so it doesn’t wake Nova.
“I need help cleaning up a body,” Ryder says.
“Another one?” I whisper harshly.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, man. I’ll explain when you get to my place.”
Ryder glancesover his shoulder at his house, longing in his gaze. I know that look. It’s the same one I’m sure I have whenever I want to be near Nova. Now that we’ve disposed of his stepfather and Madison’s ex-fiancé, Ryder would rather be with her instead of standing outside with the rest of us. I don’t blame him, because I’d prefer to be with Nova right now, holding her and watching her sleep.
I shouldn’t be surprised that another friend is in love with his sister. Jaxon was the first, Ryder is now open about his relationship, and I’ve secretly been with my foster sister.
I eye Hawk.
Is he next? Will he admit that he’s been in theI fuck my sister clubtoo?
Sensing my stare, his gaze slips to me, and he cocks his head. “You good, bro?”
I blink and blow a raspberry, playing off the fact that I just got caught staring at him. “Yeah. Zoning out, and you happened to be the first thing my gaze landed on.”
He smirks and covers his chest where his heart is. “Aw, you just like looking at me.”
