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“Like hell I will!” I grabbed her face in my hands, pulling her from the door. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head. “They locked me out, I don’t have my phone or keys, I was going to crash at Rosalie’s—”
I pulled her into me, crushing her body against mine. Fuck, she was cold. She was shaking and shivering.
“You’re coming back with me.” She looked both relieved and repulsed by the idea.
I nearly pushed her into the front seat as I blasted the heat and pulled away from the double-wide trailer before someone noticed I was there.
“Trask,” her voice caught in her throat. “I can’t do it. I can’t be around people. I’m so tired.” She wiped the tears from her eyes, holding her hands up to the heater vents.
“Here’s what is going to happen,” I said, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. “I am going to sneak you into my room like we are some randy teenagers and you are going to take a hot shower. I’m going to bring you hot chocolate and set you up watching movies while I deal with the party my parents are throwing.”
“There’s a party?” She looked at me like a deer stuck in the headlights.
“They always throw parties. I’m going to rub elbows, kiss the cheeks of old ladies, feign a headache, and come right back to you. You’re going to watch Netflix and eat the expensive crab cakes and quiche I bring you. Hell, I bet I could grab a bottle of that champagne you like so much.”
“The almond one?”
“That’s the one.” I grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. “Did they hurt you?”
“Not really,” she sniffed. “They were high or something. Tossed me out before I had a chance to prepare. Trask, I’m sorry—”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I was lucky enough to find a parking spot on the street. Luck was still on my side because I managed to sneak around the side of the house with Eliza and open my window without seeing any guests coming or going.
Eliza slipped through the window with the ease of someone who had done it a hundred times. She turned back to me, eyes wide.
“They won’t come in,’’ I assured her. “I’ll be there in just a minute, regular hot chocolate or peppermint?”
“Regular. Please.” She shivered. “Can I use your shower?”
“Of course, see you in a few.”
I grabbed the ice from my truck and headed back inside. I felt like I was sixteen again, sneaking girls in. True to my word, I made her some hot chocolate and set up Netflix while she was in the shower. I managed to sneak away from people enough to bring her some snacks and check in on her a few times. I caught her dozing in my bed, other times I caught her wiping silent tears from her eyes.
Finally,fucking finally, the damned party was ending, and I managed to make my excuses. I feigned a headache and my mom gave me some tea and sent me to bed. I was more than happy to comply. Normally I would have taken issue with her sending me to bed like I was twelve, but I didn’t have the energy to try to break out of the box she tried to keep me in.
“Eliza?”
“Hey,” she said from her spot on my bed. She was in my sweats and shirt, a fucking vision.
“Hey,” I said, locking the door behind me. “Doting Son Duty is over. I’m yours.”
She gave me a sad, small smile. “Thank you, for all of this.”
“I wish the circumstances were better, but I must confess I rather like having you snuggled up in my bed.”
She closed my laptop and put it on the side table, reaching out to me. I was more than happy to comply and crawled across the bed and pulled her into my arms. She smelled like me and something primal in me grinned at that.
I kissed her, running my tongue over her lips, biting at her neck and up to her ear. “Want your Christmas gift?” I whispered.
“Were doing gifts?” she squeaked. “I didn’t know—”
“Relax, I saw something I knew you’d like so I got it for you.” I laughed and pulled away, walking to my desk and rummaging around in one of the many drawers. “Close your eyes, Eliza.”
She sat cross-legged on my bed, eyes closed. Such a good girl.
“I didn’t wrap it.” I put it in her hands. “Open.”
