Page 140 of Beni

“Fucking felt that.”

“Did you?”

Bene shrugged. “Too much.”

Cara squeezed his shoulder and gave Gian a look. “Come on, let’s go find him something to eat and drink. I think Abriella has a stew ready for the rest of us.”

Beni wasn’t in the mood to eat. He didn’t argue with his parents about leaving, though, and soon he was alone with his twin.

Bene wouldn’t meet his gaze.

He understood why, though.

“Fuck you for doing that,” Bene muttered.

“Didn’t really plan it, you know?”

“Put me to my knees, Beni, on a fucking sidewalk in Toronto. Thought you were dead—like my heart was coming right out of my chest into my hands. I know I’ve been an asshole lately, and shit, but that doesn’t change anything.”

No, it didn’t.

Not between them.

“Anything you want?” Bene asked. “Other than soup, or water?”

Yeah.

He didn’t even have to think about it.

“August.”

Bene nodded. “Sure, I’ll get her in here for you.”

“Thanks.”

“And take those fucking painkillers. My chest still hurts.”

Beni laughed, as weak as it was. “Will do.”

Beni was just beginning to drift into a light sleep when the bedroom door opened again, and the woman he wanted more than anything slipped into the room. His twin hadn’t been gone more than five minutes. Probably just long enough to find August, and let her know she could come see him whenever.

It was a testament to his exhaustion.

“Sorry,” she whispered, “do you want me to leave so you can—”

“No,” he mumbled, rubbing the heel of his palm to his eyes as he tried to roll sideways a bit on the bed. Fuck, that felt like pure hell. It had him groaning under his breath, and twisting to his back way too fast. “Holy shit, that hurts.”

August crossed the room faster than he could blink, her hands finding either side of his naked torso to lay flat like she was trying to steady him just long enough for him to get comfortable again.

Strangely, it helped.

It calmed his heart, too.

“Easy, easy,” she said softly.

Those hands of hers drifted over his form.

He watched her through his lowered lashes.