Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
Ezrah
It's the second time in less than twenty-four hours that I almost lose Sebastian.
I was terrified, and I still am as I stand beside Sebastian, lying in the hospital bed.
They ran tests and said he's fine, just a slight concussion, but I'm still worried. The only thing that can comfort me is seeing his green-blue eyes.
I lean down and kiss his forehead.
"Please, little one, wake up for me."
He doesn't.
I keep holding his hand and wondering why the fuck I didn't get his father's number. I still have Sebastian's mother's number, but I'm not sure calling her would be a good idea. He just had a car incident, and his family needs to know, but something is stopping me from calling his mother.
For a second, I wonder whether the reason is Aziel, but fuck him.
I'll wait till Sebastian wakes up to hear what he wants to do.
I see his doctor passing by and stop him. "Why isn't he waking up?"
To the doctor's credit, he stops and checks on Sebastian.
"He's lucky, you know. He only has a slight concussion, but even that means he needs rest. It's normal for him to sleep. He'll wake up soon."
"What do I need to do after he wakes up?"
"He needs rest for a few days. No heavy activities, no lifting, no bending. He may have a headache. I'll prescribe painkillers. Other than that, he just needs rest. That's it."
"I'll make sure he rests." I nod to myself, my eyes still locked on Sebastian.
I'm not used to seeing him so motionless and so pale. I need my little one to wake up, call me Daddy, and give me one of his beautiful smiles.
What am I going to do with this boy?
I sit in the chair next to his bed and focus on watching his chest rise and fall, as all around us there's chaos in the emergency ward. All I can focus on is the way Sebastian breaths. It reassures me that he's okay. That he's here.
I'm really failing at being the Daddy he needs.
What am I even doing if I can't take care of my boy?
A lump lunges in my throat as I'm reminded of my father. My greatest fear used to be turning out exactly as him. Now my greatest fear is losing Sebastian or failing him.
I wouldn't survive it.
Somehow, we went from brothers-in-law to strangers to lovers. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
These two days only made me realize how much I want to keep him, to protect him, to take care of him.
I close my eyes and lower my head to his hand. Please, my boy, just wake up. Like he could hear my silent plea, his hand moves against mine, and I snap back up just in time to see his eyes slowly opening.
"Daddy?"
"How are you feeling?" I cradle his head with my free hand, scanning his whole face.
"I'm okay, Daddy." He even gives me a small smile.
"Fuck." I exhale, only now realizing how terrified I was. "You scared me, boy."
"I'm sorry, Daddy."
His lower lip trembles and I shake my head. I kiss his lips, only I peck, then pull back and say, "You have nothing to apologise for, Sebastian. Nothing. It was an accident."
He stares at me for a moment and then nods.
"The doctor said you have a slight concussion and you'll need rest."
"So no sex?"
"No. No sex, boy." I chuckle at the offended look on his face and the pout on his lips.
I step back when the doctor comes to check on him. He repeated everything he told me and decides to run some more tests just in case. My boy was about to argue, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Sebastian," I say in warning.
He swallows, eyes wide and innocent. He licks his lips like I didn't just scold him, heat in his gaze, but he only nods.
I'm about to take his hand in mine again when the doctor leaves, but I see Sebastian's eyes widen and panic overtake his features.
I follow his gaze and freeze when I see who's heading our way.
It has been two years since I last saw Aziel. Our last meeting was our biggest fight. The divorce was taken care of by our attorneys. I didn't want to see his lying face ever again.
He hasn't changed one bit. He still has this confidence that oozes out of him as he walks. He's as built as before, if not more. There's worry in his eyes as he scans the emergency, and then his eyes fall on Sebastian.
For a brief second, I see relief before he notices me, and then a myriad of emotions flash across his face: shock, anger, hurt, fury. In the end, he settles on fury.
I look over at Sebastian – more worried about him than whatever Aziel is feeling – but Sebastian is looking at his brother. I don't like the panic I see that he's trying and failing to hide.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Aziel growls when he reaches us.
He stops on the other side of Sebastian. Calmly, I raise my head and look at him.
I expected to feel something if I ever saw him again. And I admit, there's still anger inside me. But other than that, the sight of Aziel doesn't provoke any emotions. If anything, my anger is fueled by his reaction. Instead of first asking how his brother is, he's demanding from me why I'm here.
"That's none of your business," I answer calmly.
"The fuck it isn't." He steps forward like he wants to punch me, but the bed is still between us. "Get lost. You have no reason to be here."
I can't help it. I chuckle. Who does he think he is, telling me what I can and can't do?
"No." That's all I say.
I don't owe him explanations. I don't owe him words or anything for that matter.
His gaze swings to his brother, and I see Sebastian looking from his brother to me and back.
"The fuck is this fucker doing here?" Aziel demands.
"Aziel…" Sebastian trails off.
I see the struggle in my boy's eyes, so I decide to speak up.
"Sebastian works for me. The accident happened before my eyes, and as his manager, I had to make sure he's okay."
"Manager, huh? Who would have thought someone like you would measure up to a position like that?"
"Aziel!" Sebastian snaps. "Don't talk to him like this."
"What? Even after all this time, you're still on this pathetic man's side?"
Aziel is fuming, and people are starting to look our way. I don't care what he thinks of me or what names he calls me. But he's disturbing Sebastian's rest, and I can't have that.
"If your only purpose in being here is to scream at your brother when he's hurt, you can leave," I say.
"You said it yourself. He's my brother. Mine. So if anyone should get lost, it's you."
"Yes, he's your brother, yet since you came not once did you ask him how he is."
"He's obviously fine if he's awake."
"And how did you know that? Does your medical knowledge extend to diagnosis by just looking at the surface? Your patients must be lucky."
This was a low blow, I knew it, and I don't regret it. Aziel always worried whether he'd be a good doctor. It was me who assured him he's be thorough and not dismiss patients by the surface level of their symptoms.
He flinches just like I thought he would, but I don't care.
He should be more worried about his brother rather than my presence here.
"You know what? Fuck you. Fuck both of you." He turns to his brother and says, "It was a waste of my time coming here. You're obviously fine and have this traitor to look after you."
I ball my hands into fists, barely holding back from lunging and punching him in the jaw. How can someone be so self-centered and awful? He's the traitor between the two of us. He's the one who cheated, who threw away all that we had for a piece of ass and momentary pleasure.
Aziel storms out of the emergency, and I do my best to take deep breaths.
Sebastian doesn't deserve to worry about me right now.
I shouldn't let Aziel get to me. His words don't matter. His opinion means nothing to me. If anything, he's lucky he left because a few more comments directed at Sebastian and I would have punched him. Not because of our history – because of how he's treating his own brother.
I always noticed that the dynamic between them was strained, but I never paid attention to exactly how Aziel treated Sebastian. He's dead wrong if he thinks I'll ever again allow him to act poorly toward Sebastian.
Sebastian is fucking mine.
If this means I have to face my ex and teach him a lesson, then so be it.
My boy won't ever again have to face him alone.