Chapter 32
Hayden slowly laid Nora down against the pillows and hovered over her sleeping face. Her long dark lashes were fanned across her cheeks and her full pink lips were slightly parted. The skin between her brows were knit together in a v shape, making Hayden want to kiss the spot and erase it.
And just as the thought occurred to Hayden, he swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly pulled away. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and reached out with his finger, gently running it across Nora's forehead to ease her tension. She responded instantly to him by slightly raising her face towards him. Hayden stilled and pulled back.
Her head and life was in a complicated mess. He didn't want her waking up and having to deal with his complicated feelings. Nora needed to absorb everything that had just happened in the last twenty four hours. Hayden wondered if she too was as restless as he was. They hadn't seen each other in months and the moment they did come face to face, a bomb was dropped on them. Their timing was never right it seemed.
Hayden reached back and pulled the sheets up from the foot of the bed. He covered Nora and rose to his feet before turning out the light. He was about to walk out of his room when he suddenly remembered Nora's fear of silence. Pulling his phone out of his room, Hayden searched up for the rain app she liked so much and laid his phone down on the nightstand beside the bed. The large room filled with the pitter patter of the rain drops and the crackling of low thunder.
Hayden let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair before taking a step back. He closed the door on his way out but then decided to leave it slightly ajar incase she woke up while he was downstairs. His brain was running in a million different directions. It always did when it came to Nora. He began to regret his decision to not change her outfit earlier. She couldn't possibly be comfortable sleeping in that fitted skirt. Maybe he should ask Birdie if she had any spare clothes. But then again, he really did not want to see Nora in his sister's clothes.
"Hayden," Maya's voice suddenly stopped him at the base of the stairs.
Hayden paused and looked up, "Hey."
"I heard," Maya frowned.
"Word travels fast in this family," Hayden muttered as he walked into the living room.
"We try to keep everyone in the loop," Maya said. "Who knows what information anyone might have."
Hayden sighed and sank down on the sofa. He stretched his long legs and leaned his head back, rubbing his eyes.
"So?" He said, looking up at his mother. "Do you know anything about Vestal Priestess?"
"No," Maya frowned. "That's more of Clare and Ares' territory."
Hayden's face fell.
"But we are still looking into it," Maya assured the boy. "Don't worry."
Hayden slowly nodded. He said quietly, staring at the vase of flowers on the coffee table. Maya walked over to where he sat and took a seat beside him. She reached out and ran her soft hand through his hair before giving him a confident smile.
"Nora is going to be fine," she said. "We won't let anything happen to her."
Hayden sighed once more. Every time he heated her name, it was as if his chest tightened a bit more.
"I can't imagine what she must be going through right now," he said. "I've known about my condition my whole life. Yet, I still don't know how to handle it properly. And Nora....to just have all this dumped on her like this?"
"But that's why you're here," Maya said.
"I'm the last person that should be around her," Hayden said, lowering his gaze to his hands. "She has enough to deal with right now."
