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“Rebekah, calm—down.” He grunted and then inhaled sharply. I spun around just in time to catch him as he stumbled forward. His hands clamped down on my arms and his death flooded across my mind. I gently pushed Jackson back onto the bed, and the connection broke.
“What were you thinking! You’re not supposed to get up without your cane,” I snapped.
He waved a dismissive hand at me. “I’m fine. I’m just out of practice. I’ve been in bed too long.”
“Jack, you’ve gotta be more careful. My vision is bad enough. I can’t lose you because of some stupid mistake.” My lower lip trembled. “I can’t lose you. I can’t.”
“Hey, everything is fine. You’re safe. I’m safe. It’s gonna be okay.” He reached for me and then thought better of it. “You’re not going to lose me, Rebekah. I’m not going anywhere.”
I pressed my back against the wall across from the bed and wiped away my tears. “Jack, I’m sorry. I just—”
“I know. I’m sorry I brought it up. I just wanted to understand,” he said. “I thought it would help.”
“That’s the thing. You can’t understand. You can’t see what I see.”
He growled under his breath and I felt the air in the room get warmer. “Then explain it to me. Tell me what you see. I know it’s bad. Whatever you saw scared you enough to kick me out of the house, but what is it? I have a right to know.”
A sob broke in my chest. “I’m sorry. I never should have pushed you away. I’m sorry that I ever made you think that I…that I didn’t love you, I’m so sorry. I do love you. I always have and always will. Nothing will ever change that. I pushed you away to protect you.”
“And I loveyoufor that, but you don’t need to protect me.”
“You were shot by a shapeshifter that has a grudge against me. You got into a fight with a demon that nearly broke your back. Come to think of it, that was probably the shapeshifter too.” I shook my head. “The point is, you need protection. Especially when I’m…”
I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence.
“When you’re what?”
I rubbed my hands over my face, growling in frustration. “Please, stop asking. I can’t tell you what I see, Jack. I just can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because if I do, everything will change. The way you look at me, the way we are together. It will all go away,” I said.”Even more than it already has.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Nothing you could ever do or say would ever—”
“Stop it, please.” I sobbed, turning away from him.
“Bex, I…shit. I’m sorry.” I heard him shuffling around and then a blanket wrapped around me like a lasso and he pulled me tight against his chest. “You don’t have to tell me. Just, please don’t cry.”
“Jack, what are you doing?” I asked, trying to pull away from him.
His fingers tightened on the blanket and he tucked my head under his chin. “Just breathe. I can smell your adrenaline levels rising. I’m not going to pressure you anymore. You can relax. Breathe.”
“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” I complained, lifting my head from his shoulder.
“As long as you’re here, I’m fine. I’m healing,” he said.
I carefully hooked my arms around his waist. “How are you feeling? How are the bruises healing?”
“They’re fading.” He shrugged. “You saw them.”
“I know, I just…” I shook my head. “I was so scared. You were so cold. I thought you were dead. I don’t know what I would have done if you were.”
He rubbed his hand over my back and dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that now, cause I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good,” I said looking up at him.
His eyes sparkled in the light and faded from their natural brown to a bright yellow. His gaze caught on my lips. Hewashere. He was warm,and alive.
