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“Deserve better. But couldn’t stay away.”
“Deserve better, huh?”
He sagged back, but he didn’t release his hold on me. “Can’t take care of you if I can’t see. I’m a worthless piece of shit.”
“Damon,” I gasped.
“’s true. What good am I now? You need peace. Not gangs. Worthless. I’m bad. Can’t—”
“Stop,” I said, cuffing his wrist. I didn’t remove his hand, but I squeezed hard enough to let him know I meant business. “Don’t talk. Wanna come upstairs?”
“Mmm.” He leaned in. “Kiss you. One last time.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I talked to you every single day while you were in your coma. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yousssshould. I’m fucking worthless! Can’t see shit. Can’tdoshit. Wanted to take care of you.” He pushed up from the table, and I stumbled back.
Bill burst into the room, Doug close behind. I gestured for them to stop, and Bill’s massive arms stopped Doug until they both stood right inside the room.
Stumbling back, Damon reached out, but there was nothing solid to get ahold of. He took a chair down with him as he landed on his butt.
Grunting, he shoved the chair off. “Motherfu—”
“Damon!” I bolted to him. He rolled over and reached out in front of him, scooting on three points of contact to the wall. He palmed it, turned, then flopped against it.
Pretty good for how drunk he was.
He banged his head back. “’s not fair.”
“I know.”
“Fuck that. You don’t know. You—”
“No! Fuckyou, Damon! I saw my mom shot point-blank in the head. Had a barrel pressed to my forehead. So don’t you tell me I don’t know. I know plenty!” I slapped my hand over my mouth, shocked I’d just said all that. Tears stung my eyes, and I nearly choked on the emotions lodging in my throat.
Behind me I heard a sharp intake of air, but I didn’t look. I couldn’t.
I didn’t want to know who had gasped, but I figured it was Doug. Not much surprised Bill after having accidentally killed someone and serving over a decade in prison for it.
My head raced. My mouth went arid dry.
Damon slouched, his mouth open. Didn’t look like he was breathing for a second there, but then he coughed. “I can’t do this.”
I squatted before him, and he flinched, batting out with no real target. I snatched his hand and pressed it to my cheek. “You can. And you will. Not right now because you’re smashed, but—”
“I love you,” he said, sagging to the side, and his eyelids shut. “You’re mine.”
And he passed out.
But he’d said something I could never unhear. Even though I knew he didn’t mean it and he wasn’t going to remember saying it, he’d told me he loved me. Logically, I knew it didn’t mean anything, considering he’d known me only a short time, he was drunk, and he was seriously hurting right now, but damn it, hearing that, from a guy I was totally falling for, sure warmed my insides.
It was the people surrounding me who eventually helped me out of my illness, and I’d be that for him, if he’d let me.
“You okay?” Doug squatted beside me.
“Fine.” I covered my cheeks with my hands, and they were as hot as I thought they’d be. “Good to go.”
“You were amazing with him,” Doug said, helping me up. “I would have punched him in the face.”
