Page 165 of Silent Damage

He’s okay.

A warm buzz washes over me.

“I need to kiss you,” I tell him.

His eyes widen. “Really? I look like shit.”

“Not to me, you don’t.”

I kiss him. It’s not the first time I’ve kissed him since he recognized me, but Jason didn’t see how bad he looked until he asked for a mirror this morning.

He almost cried, but he bit his lower lip, handed the mirror back to Constance, and simply nodded.

“You’re still handsome to me,” she said in a saucy tone, raising his spirits immediately.

Mom’s bringing a bouquet for Constance because she deserves all of the flowers.

“I like your swollen lips. More to kiss.”

Jason shakes his head. “I’ll get into car accidents more often—”

“No. Too soon. None of that,” I scold.

Jason smiles in that old, devilish way he used to. “My bad.”

We kiss again when there’s a knock on the door.

“Tobias!” Jason almost leaps out of the bed, but stops, wincing from the pain.

Tobias holds up his hands. “Nah, you won’t be jumping up anytime soon. You gotta rest.”

They fist-bump, and Jason says, “Tobias, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, but we must have wrecked or something. How are the guys?”

Tobias stands there.

Speechless.

He looks at me for an answer, but I don’t have one.

Tobias takes a breath, his shoulders slumping, and asks, “Gabe, could I have a moment with Jason, please?”

I look at Jason, and I can tell from his expression that he knows bad news is coming. “I don’t have to go,” I tell Jason. “I can stay here. Do you want me to?”

We lock eyes, and my heart breaks. I want to stay because I know how upset he’ll be, but he shakes his head. “It’s okay. I can do it.”

I can do it.

I squeeze his hand and assure him that I’ll be right outside.

And that’s exactly where I go…right outside so I can hear what Tobias says.

“You got pretty banged up,” Tobias says, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Tell me,” Jason replies.

I inch a little closer, hoping to hear better.

“They didn’t make it, Jason. You’re the only one who survived.”