Fear gripped me at the thought of what could happen to him if Xen found out where we were. No part of me wanted to leave Max’s side, but I carried enough guilt where my dad was concerned. I couldn’t handle any more. “I’m coming with you.”
“Jake.” Elliot gave a pointed glance at my leg.
“I know it’s still healing, but for all we know, Xen went round there after leaving my house. I can’t stay here and wait to find out if he’s okay. I need to come with you and see for myself.”
Elliot sighed. “Have you spoken to him since we left yours?”
“No, he was at work. I didn’t want to tell him what happened over the phone.”
“Try him now.” Elliot waited while I pulled out my phone and scrolled through for dad’s contact info. I pressed Call and listened to it ring.
And ring.
And ring.
I ended the call, checking the time. “He should’ve finished by now.”
“Fuck.” Elliot ran a hand through his hair, glancing at Max and then at my leg.
“Please.” I begged, unease settling in my gut.
“Fine,” Elliot acquiesced, even though he clearly didn’t want to. “Let’s go.”
“Give me a sec.”
He nodded and stepped out into the hall. “You have two minutes.”
I limped back over to the bed as Rys stood. He took Gabriel’s hand. “Go, if you need to. He’s safe here.”
I drew my bottom lip between my teeth, guilt gnawing at me as my gaze settled on Max. I should stay with him. How could I think about leaving after what he’d been through?
“Jake.” Rys was in front of me now. I hadn’t even noticed him move. “It’s okay to want to make sure your dad’s safe. Max would understand.” He glanced back at Max and huffed. “If he was awake, he’d tell you to go himself, and you know it.”
Fuck. He was right,again.
Max loved my dad almost as much as I did.
“You’ll watch over him?” I asked.
Rys nodded. “Of course.” He tugged Gabriel towards the door. “Go get your dad.” He pulled the door closed after him, giving me as much privacy as possible.
I limped over to the bed and carefully climbed on. Max lay on his back, the sheet pooled around his waist. Angry red marks covered his chest and his shoulder from Xen’s attack. His skin had knit back together with the help of Elliot’s stitches, but internally his body still had a lot of work to do.
I swallowed back the growl bubbling inside me; the last thing he needed was me scaring him awake. Instead, I smoothed back his hair and placed a kiss on his forehead.
Closing my eyes, I stayed where I was with my lips pressed to his temple, breathing in his scent and listening to his soft exhales. Proof that he was alive, that he was healing.
Conscious that my time was running out, I sat up, cupping his jaw. “I’ll be back in a bit.” I couldn’t resist one last kiss, on his lips this time, and my heart clenched when he kissed me back for a split second, murmuring my name before settling back to sleep.
I’d gone three months without feeling his lips on mine. That barely there kiss felt like the best thing I’d ever experienced. “I love you,” I whispered, knowing he couldn’t hear me, but needing to say it anyway.
Elliot popped his head around the door. “We should go.”
I limped off the bed to join Elliot. “I’m ready.”
