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Oh, that was a plan. As curious as I was, I didn’t want to dig around in his stuff.
“Yes.” He turned away. A drawer opened in the closet, and he came back with a dark gray shirt that was so soft that when it touched my hands I kind of wanted to hug it.
“Thank you,” I told him.
“Hungry?” he checked and my stomach rolled.
“No.” I’d managed a little food at the hospital. Anything to get out of there. “I just need sleep.”
“Then sleep. I’ll be out there, so no one is getting in here.”
Some of the tension crushing me collapsed at the assurance. As soon as he was out of the room and the door closed, Aubrey helped me out of the hospital gear and into the shirt. My head was still tender. I also had stitches—and a new haircut that I’d have to deal with at some point.
I was too damn tired to worry about it right now. “The cops are going to want to talk to you again,” she briefed me as she tugged the shirt over my head. “I’ll get your clothes sorted. I also had management send them the stalker emails and letters—especially after the pictures that were left on your bed.”
“Okay.”
Once I was under the covers, she pulled them up and tucked me in. “I’ll be right back.”
I was already floating off. My eyes were glued shut, but I could still feel the weight of her regard.
“What stalker emails?” Lachlan demanded in a really loud whisper. Or maybe he wasn’t whispering.
“None of your business,” Aubrey snapped. “You won’t leave her alone?”
“I won’t. Want the door closed or open?”
“Open until I get back. Her eyes are still unfocused.”
“If you want our—”
“I don’t want anything from you,” Aubrey cut Lachlan off. “Don’t mistake convenience for forgiveness. You’ve all been assholes to her, and I don’t give a shit about your reasons. That’s my best friend, so I’ll be taking her side in everything even when she won’t. There is always someone out to make a buck off her name or her parents, and the fact you used that against her makes you no better than the rest of the world…”
“I just want to help her,” Jonas said, though the others were silent and guilt stabbed at me. Aubrey was scared and she was angry. I needed to get up and—do something.
“Then look after her and I’ll be back in five minutes. Maybe less.”
I was losing the battle for staying awake.
“She’s taking the next three days off,” Ramsey said. “So are you, Jonas. Stay with her. I’ll make arrangements for excuses and assignments…”
“I’ll…” Whatever it was Lachlan was going to do faded out and would have to wait. The thud of my headache rocked me to sleep.
Thirty-Five
JONAS
It didn’t take Aubrey long to get some things and come back. Ramsey actually went into the hall to make sure no one interrupted or tracked her. She came back with a pillow, and I wasn’t sure why until she handed me the extra from my bed. KC was asleep on mine.
In my bed.
That left an unidentifiable feeling settling in my chest. When I stared at the pillow, Aubrey sighed and shot a look behind me before focusing on me. Yeah, I know my brothers were still here. For once, I didn’t mind it. They weren’t going to let anything happen to KC either.
“She didn’t want you to sleep on the sofa with nothing,” Aubrey told me in a low voice like I needed the explanation. “Do you have an extra blanket? Or can I grab one for you in here?”
“This is good,” I told her. Then… “Thank you.”
“Wasn’t me, I don’t care if you sleep hard.” The sharpness in her smile and the hint of a smirk gave her away. The expression and the reduction of rancor in her voice when it came to me versus my brothers. It was weird to be the one someone liked more than them. I didn’t usually care if someone liked me. Still didn’t…
