“You broke up?”
He tried to suppress a cry, but he nodded.
“I-I guess. I don’t know. I just want to sleep and wake up and things to be better.”
“I know the feeling,” I murmured, dragging him to my chest and holding him tightly.
He held me back, crying softly.
“It’s OK, man. I’m here. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
He said nothing. He just continued to cry.
I hadn’t realized he’d been so serious with her. It made my stomach sick. It wasn’t the time to ask if he’d fucked her, but god, I hope he didn’t.
Finally, his cries quieted, and his breathing grew deeper.
He’d fallen asleep.
I kissed his forehead and eased away from him. Gently, I covered him with a blanket before I left his room, closing the door behind him.
I went downstairs, grabbed my phone, and called Cole.
He answered on the fifth ring.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m building a tunnel system for the cats?—”
“Can you forget the fucking cats and come home?”
“What’s going on?”
“E… he needs us. Please. He’s sleeping now, but I expect he may wake in the night. So please. Come home.”
“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?” he demanded.
“Just.. come home. I’ll tell you when you get here.”
He sighed but said he was on his way before he hung up. I went back upstairs and poked my head in on E to see that he was still asleep.
Sighing, I went back downstairs and ordered in some Chinese takeout. It arrived before Cole did, so I sorted it in the kitchen. Cole wandered in a few minutes later, looking like hell.
“What the fuck happened to you?” I asked, taking in the bruise he had on his cheek.
“Tripped on a cat,” he muttered. “Hit my face.”
I shook my head and pushed his dinner to him. “Here.”
“You called me here to eat Chinese?” He raised a brow at me.
“I called you here to talk about E.”
“What about him?” he asked, grabbing his fork and doling food into his mouth.
“He came home sobbing tonight.”
Cole frowned. “Why?”
