Page 57 of Rescued
Jasper reads my message, then brushes his thumb over my jaw again. He’s staring at me like he can’t quite believe I’m here. His eyes are haunted. I’ve never seen that expression in his eyes before.
“I have money, baby boy,” he finally says. “Not tons or anything. But I live well within my means. My truck is paid off. My house was a fixer-upper, so the mortgage is cheap. I sent Theo and Hunter with my credit card to Graymont. They’re getting the kids beds and setting them up at my house right now. Maryanne said they had some things—clothes and stuff—they’d bring with them, and that we could take them shopping when they get here for whatever else they might need.”
Tears burn my eyes, and my throat tightens.
why?
Eyes darting to my phone, Jasper scoffs. “Why? Jesus, Arlo. Because I love you. I can’t just let you be homeless. Plus, I already promised Salem, so don’t even think about telling me no.”
you promised salem? promised him what
Jasper smiles. “That I’d take care of the three of you. That I’d move you all in. That you’d be together again.” He sobers, his face turning serious. When he speaks again, his voice is low and hoarse. “I almost fucking lost you, Arlo. You didn’t have a pulse. I broke your ribs trying to get you back. I thought you were dead.” My eyes widen as he inhales a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, but I’m not letting you out of my sight anytime soon. Or the kids, for that matter.”
The thing is, I’m not sure I want to be out of his sight anytime soon, anyway. I don’t evenrememberanything, but just the idea that I could have died… I’d be… gone. Just fucking gone.
I fumble for his hand, my body instantly relaxing when his fingers slide through mine. Even if I could talk, I wouldn’t have words to explain what he means to me, so I don’t even bother. I just hold his hand and stare into his tired blue eyes.
A sweet smile spreads across his face. “I got to be a big brother again today.”
He got to be a big brother today. What does that even mean? I cock my head, and my confusion must be evident. He shakes his head, the smile falling away.
“I’m not ready to talk about it yet, baby boy. But I will be soon, I promise.” He leans forward, pressing his lips to my forehead in a feather-soft kiss. “Are you feeling okay? Any pain?”
I tap his palm twice.
He frowns. “Are you sure? They have you on some pretty good painkillers, but you don’t have any pain at all?”
Picking up the phone, I tap out another message to him.
my skin on my throat hurts if I touch it, and the inside is really scratchy. my chest is a little sore too but nothing too bad.
After Jasper reads the note, I hand the phone to him.
“Let me get the nurse in here to give you some more pain meds.”
He disappears for a minute, and when he comes back in, a man with dark hair is standing beside him.
“Hey, I’m Mark.” I raise my hand in a small wave. “I’m gonna give you some medicine real quick that’ll take your pain level down. But it’ll also make you pretty tired, okay?”
Panic clutches at my chest.
Mark sees it because he rushes to assure me. “Not like before. It’s not sedation. It’ll just make you drowsy. You’ll probably catnap a little on and off, but it’ll help your pain a lot.”
I nod.
I follow Mark’s movements with my eyes, watching as he pushes something from a syringe into the IV in the back of my hand.
It’s warm when it hits my vein, chasing away the pain. My fingers go a little tingly, and my eyes droop instantly.
I inhale sharply. That feels… good. Really fucking good, actually. I wish I could always feel this good.
Mark was right. It definitely made me drowsy. He leaves the room after giving me a smile and telling us that he’ll be right outside if we need anything.
My eyes are already heavy, so I close them, and with a hand that feels like it’s made of lead, I bring my finger up to tap my lips.
Jasper’s soft chuckle and the gentle press of his lips on mine are the last things I remember.
“Theystartedtheinvestigation.”
