𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲

Chapter 43

—Chapter 43—
My Father's Son

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E L L I O T

I don't think I'd ever made movements so slow in my life.

It was pretty early in the morning when I'd found myself waking up still in Noah's protective embrace.

He'd managed to fall asleep, passed out with his rosy lips parted open just slightly. The fever had made itself apparent through the night—his nose was flushed red, his puffy skin burned fiery hot, and his breaths sounded wheezy at the back of his throat. The dark shadows were still ever so present around his eyes.

Riding a motorcycle outside in the pouring wet and sitting for hours in soaked clothes would do that to you, apparently.

But I was worried about him. Between the stitches in his side and the fever running rampant in his body, I knew every part of him was in pain. He didn't have to verbalize it for me to understand.

Trying to get out of his hold that morning was a form of torture in itself. One wrong move would wake him from his much-needed rest, and Noah hadn't slept much at all in the last few days.

Carefully and precisely, I used my small frame to my advantage and slipped out from beneath his arms. Noah stirred at the movement—thankfully, though, he didn't seem bothered enough to wake up.

It was a few hours before I showered and got dressed in a fresh set of clothes. Escaping out of the apartment with a slice of toast between my teeth and keys jangling in my grasp, I went on a mission that morning to go out and find something to help with Noah's fever.

Jesse's homey little convenience store was my first pick.

The entire ride there was spent thinking about the scene from the night before. Taking care of Noah. Washing his hair. Sleeping in his bed.

How did we even reach that point?

I was so relieved that I'd been able to help soothe Noah's panic attack, and after helping him bathe the smell of alcohol off his body, I was more than ready to give Noah space to be alone. He'd been through enough, and I didn't want to bother him by extending my presence for more than what was necessary.

But he didn't seem to want that.

No, quite the opposite—he wanted me to stay.

He pulled me into his bed, wrapped his arms around my small figure, and didn't let me go. For whatever reason, he didn't want to be alone.

And all I wanted was for him to be okay.

I couldn't help the electricity that traveled down my spine when he traced his fingers through my hair. The gesture alone was so gentle. I found my eyelids growing heavy with every syllable that left my lips during our conversation, and when he kissed the back of my head, I melted completely in his embrace.

I couldn't remember what time I'd fallen asleep, but I knew that it didn't take long with Noah's fingertips running softly along my scalp. Nobody had held me like that in so long... treated me so well. There was no doubt in my mind that I'd drifted off last night with a small smile on my lips.

Noah himself must've passed out sometime after I did. We'd both gone to bed rather late, and the drowsiness at the back of my mind made it feel like I'd only slept for a few hours.

It was a rather nice day outside. The storm from last night had left the asphalt roads sparkling with the residue of rainwater, but the clouds had finally subsided. Sun rays shone down on my cheeks, and I took in the warmth gratefully, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Boston would fall into yet another bout of rain.