Page 70 of Brought By the Storm

I cocked my head toward Eric. “Let’s handle one crisis at a time, shall we?”

The elevator pinged and the door opened. There were no others in the car and we were able to rest Eric against a rail as we rode to the twenty-third floor. As the elevator door opened, Mateo and I struggled to get our arms under Eric’s armpits to help him along. The door began to close since our progress was slow, and Stefan had to push it back open for us.

“To hell with it,” I stated to neither of them. I lifted Eric into my arms. “Eric, baby, put your arms around my neck. Will you do that for me? It will be easier to carry you.”

Eric seemed to have enough mental functioning to comprehend, as he clasped the back of my neck. With one forearm under his back and another under his buttocks, I walked him to our door. A couple emerged from a nearby room just as Stefan was inserting the card key.

“Oh, just married?” the man asked, though I could tell from his expression that he was skeptical. His female partner tried to smile, uncertain if he had guessed right.

“Um, sure,” I replied.

“Then what are the other two guys doing with you?” the woman asked.

“Uh…well, in my country, the bridal bed has to have witnesses to ensure you consummated the marriage.” I pushed Eric through the open door before they could throw us additional questions.

Once the door closed, Mateo burst out laughing. “That was the first thought that came to your head? Oh my God. You should have seen their faces. They’ll be telling people that story for the next year.”

I lowered Eric’s limp body onto the bed closest to the bathroom, figuring he might want quick access. I hovered over him, stroking his hair and brushing my thumb over his cheek. “My sweet Eric.”

“Uh, not to be a killjoy, but I wouldn’t go assuming he’s your anything,” Mateo warned. “You wounded him, Carrington.”

I nodded, feeling like all my muscles were being twisted by some strange force. “Of course. I’ll refrain from such comments.”

Mateo put a hand on my back to show support. “Come on, let’s get him undressed. If he pukes on those clothes, he won’t have anything clean to wear for the drive home tomorrow.”

Stefan took a seat on the opposite bed. Mateo and I pulled the shirt over Eric’s head. Mateo started to fold it as I undid Eric’s belt buckle and lowered his zipper. “I’ll hold up his bum. You pull off his jeans,” I told Mateo.

Once Eric was down to his undergarments, Mateo let out a gasp, taking a long look at him. “What the hell happened?” He was pointing at the large bruise under Eric’s rib cage as well as a couple of others near his throat that were visible once his shirt was removed. “I noticed earlier his forehead was bruised, too. Carrington, so help me God, if you abused him…”

I held up my hand in protest. “I most certainly did not, nor would I ever. It’s a long story. Suffice it to say, we encountered a potential assassin, and Eric brought him to the ground whilst I subdued him. Eric was very courageous, indeed.”

Mateo looked at me with horror. “Are you fucking kidding me?“

“I can assure you I’m not.”

Mateo looked over at Stefan, who nodded that it was true. “I should have been there,” Stefan said. “It’s a good thing your friend is quite the soldier.”

At this point, Eric, upon hearing the word ‘soldier,’ started mumbling. “Gonna rearrange your face,” he muttered in an affected tough-guy tone, punching his fists at the air despite his closed eyes. “Gonna rearrange it.”

I couldn’t help but smile. I put his hands back down to his sides and kissed his forehead. “Okay, Tiger. You got him. Good job. Get some well-earned sleep now.”

Mateo still had a look of incredulity. “You treated him like shit after he put his life in danger for you?”

Mateo might as well have punched me in the face. The blow was as harsh. “I…”

“You don’t deserve him,” Mateo spat. “He’s too good for you.”

I nodded, feeling great sadness. “Indeed. He is.”

Mateo took off his shirt, his eyes still shooting darts at me. “I will sleep in bed with Eric tonight. When he wakes, I want him seeing somebody he trusts and knows will take care of him.”

What could I say? His comment was more than fair. I hadn’t proven myself trustworthy and, as much as I liked to think I would be the one who would take care of Eric, I had failed when a challenge had arisen. “Yes, I think that’s wise,” was all I could manage.

I watched as Mateo climbed into bed with Eric, pulling him into an enviable embrace. Instead, after a bruising call with my mother, I undressed and shared a bed with Stefan. Whilst he was awake, there was an awkwardness and tension lingering. I had made everyone in the room miserable and if there had been any other accommodations, I would have taken them. Instead, I lay on my back, staring at the blackness of the darkened room, wondering if there would ever be light in my life again.