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“And I’m worried about you,” she stressed, her voice raspy but firm. “Does it hurt?”
“Like the devil,” he said with a small laugh. “But I’m sure I’ll survive.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Stop,” he pressed a finger to her lip, his gut rolling with a thousand and one feelings: prickly, knotty, difficult to catch and contain. “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
“It’s not your fault either,” she said, needing him to know that, to understand. “This guy was –,”
“I should have known. I should have seen.”
“How exactly?”
But he could barely admit the answer to himself, let alone to Max. He’d let her down. He’d got too close, he’d failed her. And it could have turned out so much worse.
As if she could see the torment in his eyes, she leaned forward and pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to his heart, her hand stroking his back. “Thank you for protecting me.”
Guilt fired in Noah’s gut. He hadn’t protected her. She’d got lucky, that was all.
A sound alerted them to the fact they were no longer alone and when Noah looked towards the door, he took a sharp step away, clear of Max.
“Gray,” he strode across to his friend, good hand extended by way of greeting.
Gray shook it with suspicion in his eyes. “Max,” Gray looked at his sister. “You’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” she mumbled, pulling her hair over one shoulder, glancing from one to the other. “It’s Noah who’s hurt.”
“It’s nothing; likely just a bruised arm, that’s all.”
“You’re going to the hospital?”
Noah nodded. “I’ll be a few hours.”
“I’ll stay with Max.”
Max wanted to tell them she was fine, but the truth was, she was glad for the company. “Thanks,” Noah responded with a gruff nod. He turned to face her and Max’s heart skipped a beat. “You did so great, Max. I’m proud of you.”
Her smile smashed his heart into a thousand and one tiny little pieces. He left the room without looking back.
Chapter 12
“SHE’S ASLEEP.”
Noah expelled a breath as he entered. The house was silent except for Gray, who was sitting in the kitchen with a pot of coffee and a broadsheet newspaper. He was the only person Noah knew who still read actual printed papers rather than subscribing on his tablet.
“I’m glad. I thought she might be too agitated.”
Gray nodded. “The EMS left some sleeping pills for her. I got her to take one an hour ago.”
Noah nodded, moving into the kitchen and withdrawing a coffee mug. He poured himself a measure from Gray’s pot.
“She wanted to wait up for you.”
Noah’s hand tightened imperceptibly on the coffee cup. “Yeah?”
Gray’s eyes locked with Noah’s, a challenge passing from one friend to the other. Noah didn’t look away. Finally, Gray sighed. “Noah, God, you know I think the world of you.”
He braced for what was coming. He knew, and he knew he deserved it.
