I like that.
He respects the panic I feel. Not many men care enough like these guys do.
“Jaxon,” Asher warns him and when I look above me, he is shaking his head, disagreeing with whatever Jaxon wanted to talk about.
“It has to be discussed. It isn’t fair to make them wait.” He leans his elbows on his knees and the shaved side of his head is illuminated in the light while the hair that hangs down is hidden in the shadows. He is a very scary guy, and I’m glad he is in my corner.
For now.
So it seems.
“Your parents are very worried about you, Heather.”
“You’ve talked to them?” I ask, feeling a bit more alive than I did a second ago.
“No,” he shakes his head. “Every news outlet on TV has your picture on it. They want you home and they need to know you’re safe. It looks like they miss you very much.”
My chin wobbles and the threat of tears shakes my lip. “I miss them too. I never thought I’d see them again.”
“Do you want me to call the number the news is giving out to the public? I’ll do whatever you want me to. You have every right to go home, Heather. You aren’t trapped here. You aren’t a prisoner. You are in control of what happens from this moment on.”
I don’t want them to see me like this, broken and afraid of my own shadow. Obviously, I’ve changed, but I want to come to terms with what has happened to me before I see my mom and dad. It will ruin them when they find out the details.
“You don’t have to decide right now. I wanted to let you know that your family has been searching for you all this time and they are there for you when you are ready to see them.”
Asher lets out a long exhale and I feel the warm puff drift over my neck. His hands fall from my shoulders and I immediately miss knowing he’s at my back, protecting me. I glance up at him and when he tilts his chin down to meet my eyes, there is a sadness in them that I can’t understand. “You should go home, eventually. Your parents are good people and I know they are worried sick.”
I nod in agreement, wondering if he is trying to get me to leave. “Yeah, probably, but I’m not ready yet,” I give my attention to Jaxon next. “I need time on my own first. My parents will bombard me, and I’ll feel suffocated. I don’t need that right now. Maybe in a few days? If I’m feeling up to it?”
Jaxon gives me a pleasant smile, something that seems almost wrong on him because of how menacing he looks. “Anything you want, Heather. I just wanted to update you, okay? I’ll leave you alone. Rest up.” He stands and puts his hands in his pockets to stroll out the door but when he hears the babies cry, he kicks it up a notch and runs.
“He seems like a nice guy and a good dad,” I say, trying to make small talk. I don’t know what to say to Asher. We don’t know each other anymore. I guess we never really did.
Heaven walks around the bed and stops at the dresser, snagging a plain pair of grey joggers and an oversized black t-shirt. Next, he opens the drawer beneath and grabs a simple pair of black panties.
I blush when I realize he is getting those items for me.
“He is the best guy. All of the men here are. They are my family.” He keeps his back turned to me and I know with what happened with my sister, his mom and dad disowned him. His dad was always rotten to the core and his mom was a snooty bitch, so I think he is better off without them, but that doesn’t mean he can’t wish they were still a family. “They were here for me when no one else was. I owe them everything.” He folds each piece of clothing and neatly lays them on the bed. Panties on top. “I’ll wait outside to give you some privacy. Holler if you need me. Or don’t. You know, if you want time alone, that’s understandable. I’ll uh…” He scratches the back of his head and huffs a short chuckle. “Okay, I’ll go.” He clears his throat and gives me an awkward parting glance as he opens, then closes the door behind him.
I’m left in silence, minus the slight hum of the heat coming through the vent. I’m still covered in a blanket and a wet towel. My head is feeling better, not as foggy, but I am getting a headache. When I slide my feet out of bed and stand, I sway and grab the edge of the nightstand with my hand and knock over a yellow pill bottle. I fall back to the bed and snag the bottle before it rolls off the nightstand.
It’s ibuprofen.
Owen thought of everything.
I set them down and the plastic clinks against the smooth modern nightstand. I sigh, glancing out the window to see a beautiful view in front of me. I almost don’t want to go home because looking at the cliffs, the ocean, and seeing the seagulls fly is therapeutic. I wouldn’t get this at my parents. They would hire a counselor, which I think I do need, but I’ll never see anything but the inside of the house. My mom won’t let me breathe, but dad will hover, and right now, I have space to heal.
That’s what I need more than my family right now. The truth is a hard pill to swallow, but I’m ready to guzzle it down. My family can wait. I know they are in pain, but I am too, and before I see them, I need to do some healing of my own and seeing the forest, the ocean, where else could I feel a sliver of peace like this?
Reaching to the left, I grab the clothes Asher sat out for me and grab the panties first.
Ah, crap.
There isn’t a bra. That’s okay, the black shirt will hide me enough that I don’t have to worry about it. It isn’t like I’m big chested anyway, so why am I worried about it again? I slip on the shirt and I’m taken aback when I smell cologne. It’s barely there, like Asher brushed up against it and put his scent on it by accident. I bring the collar to my nose and inhale. The tightness in my stomach eases when the comfort of his scent soaks itself into my lungs.
I do feel safe, which is odd, considering what Asher went to prison for.
No thanks to me.
I need to apologize to him, but how do I apologize for ruining someone’s life? He will never be able to get a regular job because of the word felon stamped on his background check. Maybe when I’m better I can help him with that, unless he already has a job, which he probably does now that I think about it. Who the hell can afford a house like this? It’s in a cliff. An actual cliff. Who has the money to gut the inside of a rock and decide to build a home?
I have a lot of questions for Asher, but they can wait.
I tug on the joggers and the material is soft and feels expensive. I wonder why they are doing this, taking care of me like this. What do they get out of it?
Tossing the wet towel on the floor, I scoot over in bed, away from the wet spot, and lay down. This mattress is huge. Even with the damp sheets to my right, there is plenty of room for three people. My eyes hood, telling me to sleep, but Owen’s warning echoes in my head. If I have a concussion, I can’t sleep for twelve hours.
But I want to.
“Asher?” I call out his name, wondering if he really stayed on the other side of the door. I bring the blanket up to my chin as he cracks the door and peeks his head in.
He gives me a lopsided grin and steps inside. “Hey, did you get everything taken care of?”
I nod. “Thank you for the clothes. Can…Can you stay with me, so I don’t fall asleep?”
His blue eyes shine, with what, I don’t know, but he comes to the side of the bed, takes of his shoes, and sits down next to me. The bed dips from his weight, and he tucks himself under the covers too. “Like you even have to ask,” he says, reaching for the remote to turn on the tv. “What are you in the mood for? I’ll be honest, I have a weird obsession with romantic comedies.”