Page 133 of Rescued
“Baby boy,” Jasper whispers, and then he’s sliding into bed next to me and pulling me into his arms. He shushes me, rubbing his hand up and down my back. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but it’ll all be okay.”
I’m not sure how it’ll be okay. Everything feels so damn hopeless. God, I lost my shit. “I hurt him,” I murmur, my voice thick with tears. Pulling myself out of Jasper’s embrace, I sit up, swiping at my face. “I need to go talk to him. I need to apologize. I need to tell him I didn’t mean it.”
Jasper grabs my arm and tugs me back down, wrapping me up and squeezing me half to death. “No. You’ve both talked enough tonight. You can apologize tomorrow. After everyone’s had a good night’s sleep and a little time away from each other, okay?”
I shake my head violently. “No, I need to go now.”
“You don’t.” He squeezes me again. “You’re in no position to talk to him. You need a level head so you can stay calm, and I love you, baby boy, but you’re anything but calm right now.”
As if I don’t already know that.
“Tomorrow,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to my temple, “I’ll call Austin and Luca and see if they’ll come take Nora to breakfast, and the three of us can have a talk, okay?”
I blow out a breath. “Okay.”
Jasper holds me until my tears stop, whispering in my ear that he loves me, stroking my back and running his fingers through my hair, pressing gentle kisses to my forehead and temple and my closed eyelids.
He holds me until his body starts to go slack as sleep takes him.
I lie awake for hours, my mind racing and my heart aching. It’s just before sunrise when I finally doze off.
Chapter 33
Jasper
Arloisstillasleepwhen I slip out of bed and make my way into the kitchen. He needs it. After the emotional upheaval and the stress of the last few weeks and that crazy fight he had with Salem.
I call Austin while I’m making a pot of coffee. To my surprise, he answers on the first ring. “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“I’m glad you’re awake.”
Austin laughs. “Yeah, Luca shot out of bed thirty minutes ago, losing his mind over a book idea. Scared me half to death, and bythe time he wrote it down, we figured we’d just get a jump start on the day. Everything alright?”
“Yeah.” I pull a coffee mug out of the cabinet, then start pouring a cup. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Can you come by the house and pick up Nora for breakfast?”
There’s a pause and then, “Sure. We can take her to Daisy’s. Luca has to work soon, anyway. Everything okay?”
I sigh, leaning against the counter. “Arlo and Salem went at it last night. Tensions are high. They’vebeenhigh, but things kinda went overboard last night, and they need to talk.”
“Fuck,” Austin breathes. “I bet it’s been hard.”
It has been. There’s something going on with Salem. Obviously. But I think it’s deeper than him just not being able to settle in. At this rate,I’mabout to sit him down and talk to him myself. Maybe he’d be more willing to talk to me. God knows the two of us don’t have the history he’s got with Arlo.
In some ways, I think that’ll work in our favor. I’m also thinking Arlo might be right—at the very least, we need some sort of family therapy.
“It has been. I just don’t want Nora here if things escalate again. She doesn’t need to see her brothers fighting like that.”
Austin makes a sympathetic sound. “Makes total sense. Alright, Luca’s getting dressed for work now, and then we’ll head your way.”
Relief washes over me. “Thanks, Austin. You have no idea how much I appreciate you guys helping.”
“Anytime. You know we’re here for you guys.”
That I do know. “Thank you. We’ll see you soon.”
