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In the meantime, Santiago gave me a quick update as well. Noa had eaten a bag of Doritos from the vending machine, and as for Cam…
“I don’t know, to be honest,” he went on tiredly. “Dean texted me a few minutes ago, and he wants you to go outside when you have a moment. I think they’re just out front.”
Noa looked up at me with a scowl. “Cameron wouldn’t let me go out with him for fresh air.”
Something was definitely up. I combed my fingers through Noa’s hair and turned to Santiago again. “I’ll go out and talk to him. Would you mind…?” I trailed off with a nod at Noa, and Santiago got it.
“Hell no, we’ll be here for as long as you need us.” He tilted his head at Noa and offered a solid Daddy smile. “How about I get you and Gael some snacks, little one?”
Noa looked up in question to me.
I kissed his forehead, eternally grateful for Santiago. “I think that sounds great. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay, but hurry, please.” He fidgeted a little, and my boy wasn’t the fidgety type.
I needed this night to be over. I needed my family close, in my arms, where I could watch over them.
“I promise, freckles.”
* * *
The moment I stepped outside and was met by the cold air, I only grew more suspicious. Nobody wanted to stay out here for a long period of time to get fresh air. March had just begun, and nights could still drop below forty-five degrees.
Goddamn, my legs were killing me. Even with braces and crutches, my limit to what I could push through was approaching real quick. I peered around the wide entrance, spotting a handful of people, perhaps family members of patients, and it took me a beat to spot Cam. And Dean. They were standing on the curb some thirty or forty feet away, so I headed toward them.
Judging by their body language, Cam was closing in on himself, and Dean was…oh, probably holding down the fort till I got there.
Cam saw me first and folded his arms over his chest, all while his shoulders sagged, revealing defeat and resignation.
“Master Dean won’t let me leave,” he mumbled.
He wanted to leave.
I swallowed hard and closed the last distance. “I owe him one, in other words.” I sent Dean a quick look of gratitude.
He gave my shoulder a squeeze and then took a step back. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”
I waited until Cam and I were alone—actually, I waited longer. I watched him in silence, sensing his internal struggle. My sweet boy, he looked like he was trying to hold back all his heartbreak. And I knew it was there. I knew he was hurting. Hearing that he wanted to leave saddened me but was by no means a surprise.
Regardless of how I felt, I had to show him I was on his side.
He cleared his throat and tried to stand a little taller, as if he was gearing up to say his piece. Or give his defense—but he wasn’t on trial here. Whatever he needed, we’d work things out.
“You can tell me anything, sweetheart,” I reminded him gently.
He nodded jerkily, close to breaking. I saw the crack in his exterior; his eyes welled up, and his bottom lip trembled.
“Daddy, I can’t see him,” he whimpered.
Fucking hell. My vision grew blurry in an instant. He called me Daddy so rarely that when he did, it was a punch straight to the ticker. It just wasn’t our day-to-day dynamic, even though I loved the moments he went there.
“Okay.” I coughed to clear my throat, and I peered behind me, resting one of my crutches against a trash can. “Come here.” I held out my arm for him, and he glued himself to me and broke down. Christ. I hugged him tightly and pressed my lips to the top of his head. “Okay,” I repeated. “Whatever you need, baby. But can you walk me through your thoughts?”
He sniffled and cried into his hands. “He promised me—he s-said he was gonna take care of himself. He promised me.”
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I glanced up at the sky and swallowed back my emotions—and my frustrations toward Lucian. Goddamn bastard. I loved the man, and he had the best of intentions, but he’d acted as if he were immortal.
