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“Shut up.” My mouth snapped shut, and my eyes went wide at her words. “I know this is a fucking weird situation. But I also know you were just doing your job. You didn’t know Dad when you were sent to take him out. And you’ve done everything you can to make up for it since. You were ready to sacrifice yourself, for Pete’s sake, so I think you deserve whatever support you need.”
She got up, then pulled me up next to her. “You should ask Gabriel sometime about what happened with Vanna. There’s always more to someone’s story than what we can see.” She carefully put her arm around my middle. “And now I’m going to help you upstairs and into the shower, because you stink.” She wrinkled her nose, widening her eyes comically. “And I don’t want to hear any protests. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before, and you can’t get your arm or leg wet.”
We’d slowly made our way to the stairs when she turned to me. “You know, Jude really likes you. And he’s the pickiest guy I’ve ever met. He might be friends with everyone, but he doesn’t let many people get close. But he saw something in you. Don’t make him regret it.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Satisfied, Freya proceeded to do exactly as she’d told me, not only helping me shower but also getting me dressed and tucked into bed. And she somehow managed to not make me feel awkward or embarrassed the whole time.
Pulling the sheets up my body, she nodded in satisfaction when I was covered from neck to toe. “Do you want to see Lenny?”
Smothered underneath the blankets, only my head peeking out, I nodded. “Yes, please.”
She left the room, coming back with my brother a minute later. Lenny looked like the past few hours hadn’t happened, a lopsided smile on his face. He held a cookie in each hand, alternating taking bites off each.
Looking at the dirt streaked on his face and his torn and stained clothes, I raised a brow. “You’re not going to bed like that. Shower. Now.”
He groaned but knew I wouldn’t budge. “Fine.” He came over, and I untangled my hand from beneath the sheets, holding it out for him. He took it without hesitation. “I love you, buddy.”
“I double love you.”
He turned, but I kept holding his hand. “You can come in here any time during the night if you don’t want to be by yourself.”
I’d expected him to tell me he didn’t need me, that he’d be fine. But instead, he smiled at me, squeezing my hand. “I know.”
I released him, watching him walk away and feeling infinitely grateful that he was here and doing considerably well. “Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
He didn’t turn but waved his hand at me. “Night.”
My body was exhausted, needing to sleep, but my mind was in full panic mode, going over everything that had happened with a fine-tooth comb. Which was why I was still staring at the ceiling illuminated by the bedside lamp when Jude came in a few hours later.
“You’re still awake?” He came straight to my side of the bed, leaning down. “Are you in pain?”
My eyes were half closed, and I prayed my mind would lose the struggle for sleep soon. “I’m okay. Just can’t sleep.”
Jude straightened back up, and I reached out to hold on to his arm. “Did you get him?”
He put his hand over mine, gently squeezing. “When we got downstairs, he was gone. But don’t worry. His days are numbered.” Taking my hand in his, he placed a light kiss on my palm. “I’m filthy and need to clean up.”
Nodding, I watched him disappear into the bathroom. He’d left the door open, and I had an unobstructed view of the shower. Suddenly wide awake again, I watched unashamedly as Jude stood under the waterfall shower, one hand braced on the wall, his head hanging between his shoulders.
The clear glass was slowly fogging up, but I was still able to make out the powerful slope of his arms and the muscles on his back. I itched to feel them under my hands once again. To have one more chance to pretend I was someone else. To be with him like we were before he found out I nearly killed his father.
Unable to look away, I followed his hand as he spread soap on his body. In the grand scheme of things, this was one of my smaller infractions. Besides, I’d already seen him naked numerous times. And he did leave the door open.
Lost in my thoughts, I startled when he stood in front of me, only a towel wrapped around him. “You’re still awake.”
I could hardly admit that there was no way my eyes would willingly close while they had all that was Jude in his naked glory to feast upon. So I shrugged, the movement barely discernible between the blankets.
And then he dropped. The. Towel. Any hope of sleep disappeared. Poof. Gone.
Unaware of the mayhem the simple gesture had caused, he went to the walk-in closet, pulling boxer shorts on. I watched, suddenly boiling hot underneath the blankets.
Kicking them off me with my uninjured leg, I flopped onto my back, wondering if I should ask for sleeping tablets.
The bed depressed, and Jude was next to me, gently pulling me to him. He carefully laid my cast on his chest, then tangled his legs with mine.
He reached out and shut the lights off. I instantly tensed, my breathing changing.
