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The hot water feels so good against my aching skin, but I can’t stand alone because my legs are so shaky. When Levi reaches for the shampoo, I almost tumble over, but his arm wraps around my waist, stopping me from slumping over.
“All right, I’ve got you,” he tells me as he slowly lowers both of us to the floor of the large shower. He pulls me against his chest, the warm water rushing over my chest and taking away some of the cold that’s claimed territory in my bones. Levi pours some shampoo into his palm and works it into my scalp, massaging gently. “Is this okay?”
“You’re too good to me,” I mumble, leaning my forehead against his shoulder while he scooches us a bit until he’s able to rinse my hair.
“We’re a family, Riley,” Levi whispers. “We’re pack. This is what we do. I would do it for Fox, you would do it for Miles, Thane would do it for me. We take care of each other, no matter what.”
“Thank you,” is all I can say because he’s absolutely right. I would nurse each and every one of them back to health if I needed to.
I sit there, hardly able to do more than stay awake and keep from vomiting again, my head still spinning as he conditions my hair and gently washes me down.
“Now, let’s get you back to bed so you can get the rest you need.” He turns off the shower, and I flinch at the loss of the hot water. He reaches for a towel from a nearby rack, never moving his arm away from me so I don’t fall. Wrapping me tightly, he then picks me up, stepping out of the shower and going straight to the bedroom. I start giggling at the absurdity of it all, my mouth dry as cotton. At least the nausea has worn off.
“What are you laughing about?” he asks, nuzzling my neck before laying me on the bed.
“Promise me you’ll still carry me around while naked if I get better,” I say, gesturing at his nudity.
“Oh, I plan to,” he says, shaking his ass a bit to show off. “And there’s noifyou get better. It’swhenyou get better.”
Even so, I sober up at the thought of the days ahead. As Levi dresses me in a fresh set of pajamas, I say, “This is already really hard, Levi.”
“I know.” He leans over and kisses me on the forehead. “But we’re going to help you get through this.”
“I’m so glad you all found me,” I say sleepily. Levi pulls on his boxers and gets into bed, curling up next to me. I feel stronger already with his scent enveloping me. His warmth wrapped around me, erasing the last of the chills still clinging to my bones.
The last thing I hear before I fall back asleep is his voice, whispering, “I’m so glad you foundus.”
THIRTY
—
F O X
Because I have terrible timing,I roll my ankle during one of the practices I attend two weeks after Riley begins treatment. It isn’t bad—just a quick zing of pain every time I step down on it, but nothing excruciating.
I’ve dealt with much worse, even played in a game with worse. Still, Coach sends me home with a head shake and strict orders to rest. Luckily, it’s my night with Riley, so it can just begin a little earlier than planned. I wish I’d sprained it sooner; I might’ve gotten double Riley duty out of the deal.
When I arrive home, Miles looks up from his laptop where he’s working at the dining room table. His brows shoot up in surprise, but then he rolls his eyes when he catches my limp. “Again?”
“I haven’t hurt myself in at least five months, thank you very much,” I say haughtily, heading to the freezer to get an ice pack. “I’m the star because I take risks, even if that gets me—”
“A broken foot. A dislocated shoulder. Three broken ribs. And…” He gestures to my foot.
“Just a rolled ankle,” I assure. “I’m allowed back to practice in two days if the team doc says I’m good to go.” I lift my eyes to the ceiling, where Riley’s room is above us. “Is she sleeping?”
“Last I checked, which was about fifteen minutes ago, because it’s really hard to not be up there with her. But I can’t work in the room. My typing is too loud, even though she won’t complain about it. Already ordered a new whisper quiet keyboard, but it won’t arrive for another week.”
“How has she been today?” I ask.
“No vomiting, but no appetite either. I had to help her to the restroom and back, and we did a few steps up and down the hallway. She fell asleep after that.”
I rub my chest, where my heart physically hurts for my girl. “I’ll take over for the rest of the day. There’s not much I can do myself other than rest. Might as well do it in her bed.”
Miles nods and I feel a spike of jealousy through the pack bond from him, but it’s gone quickly. He returns to his work as I limp up the stairs. I showered after training, so it’s easy for me to slip under the blankets next to Riley.
“Fox?” she asks, blinking those pretty eyes awake. “What are you doing here?”
“I had a fight with the ground. The ground won.” I point at the bottom of the bed, where the lumps that are my feet stick up under the comforter. “I rolled an ankle.”
