Chapter 80
eighty
EZRA
The light hurts my eyes, so I keep them closed as I let my brother squeeze all the air from my lungs.
I refused the medics’ help, which everyone disagreed with and promised the police a full statement once I was able to sleep.
I don’t know how long we stay like that, but eventually I’m able to open my eyes.
Barely, but enough to take in the sight before me.
Jo is as beautiful as ever. Even the dark circles under her eyes and the crinkle in her brow don’t diminish it.
She’s holding back, her hands curled tightly around the hem of her jacket.
It’s the look in her eyes that tells me everything I need to know.
I don’t know how I missed it, or maybe I just didn’t want to see it.
It’s the same look I know has been reflecting back at her from my eyes.
We have feelings for each other and don’t know what to do about it.
If this experience has taught me anything, it’s not to waste a single moment.
“Bambi,” I rasp, pulling away from Kai with a bit of effort. Her eyes snap to me, and I watch her warily eye my open arms, like she’s afraid of what she’ll do if she lets herself. “Come here.”
I see the moment her resolve breaks. Tears flood her eyes, and she throws herself into my arms. I hold her as she weeps, her tears soaking my shirt.
At some point, someone throws a scratchy blanket over us, and I’m grateful, but the only warmth I want is hers.
And Maverick’s, but he’s not here, and he knows how I feel about him. Jo doesn’t, but she will.
“Jo,” I whisper, bringing my trembling hands up to cup her face.
I lean in, looking from her lips to her eyes, waiting for her to stop me.
Her eyes are wide, but she stands frozen in place.
Pressing my lips gently to hers, I wait for her to pull away, but she doesn’t.
She lets out a soft gasp and returns my kiss with heartbreaking desperation.
I knew she wanted me as badly as I wanted her.
I want to get lost in her, explore her mouth with my tongue and memorize her taste, but a throat clearing breaks us apart.
We’re panting, my arms still tightly wound around her as she smiles at me.
“But . . . gay?” my normally very articulate twin blurts. He’s so bewildered that I can’t help laughing.
“Demi,” I supply. Normally, I’d drag this out just to mess with him, but I need a shower and food and sleep. Then we need to find Maverick. And Jo and I need to talk. Plus, there’s Noelle. Shit. “Where did they take Noelle?”
“What about Maverick?” Kai asks, clearly still very confused and stuck on it.
“They’re poly, you moron. What is wrong with you? You look more confused at your brother kissing a woman than a Boomer is with a smartphone.” Willa scolds.
“Gay!” Kai yells. Belle looks at him with an earned level of concern.
“Is he having a stroke?” Declan asks.
Jo turns in my arms so that her back is to my chest, but I don’t let her leave my embrace. Not that she wants to. She melts back into me and hugs my arms with hers.
“Ezra and I are both with Maverick. This is a new development that we’re going to have to talk about when all three of us are back together,” Jo explains.
Just his name throws a bucket of ice water over the situation.
I squeeze Jo even tighter. I hope she likes having a shadow because she’s not leaving my side until Patrick is dealt with and we get Maverick back.
Then I’ll be handcuffing them both to me for the rest of our lives.
“Noelle is at the hospital with Harrison. He’s going to keep an eye on her and work with his guy to get her a fake identity.
If no one knew she was alive, she must have had one already, but he doesn’t know what it was,” Willa says.
My brain is barely functioning, but the fog lifts enough to remember the last thing Noelle said before she passed out.
“Kai.” My brother turns to me immediately, at least looking less confused and more contemplative. “Noelle said there was one person who knew she was alive. Has always known.”
“Who?” he asks with a frown.
“Mom.”
Everyone talks at once, and it’s now that my legs decide to give up.
I manage to maneuver enough to sit on the stairs, pulling Jo onto my lap because I wasn’t joking about sticking to her side.
I’m shaking all over. Probably from an adrenaline crash or lack of food or sleep or water. Or all of it at once.
“I’m okay, Bambi,” I whisper when I see the concern on her face and kiss her temple. “Just tired and hungry.”
“Let’s take this back to Jeanne’s. We can discuss this once Ezra gets some rest,” Jo says, trying to stand, but I won’t let her.
“You have to let me stand. I won’t go far.
I promise.” I search her face and realize she needs me as close as I need her.
I nod and let her get off my lap, but she stays close enough for her leg to still touch my thigh.
It takes a lot longer than I’d like, but Kai and Declan help me walk to where Jo parked my truck.
She walked directly in front of us the whole time so I could keep my eyes on her.
I know neither of us is like this normally, too independent to want to be hovered over, but I can’t help it right now.
It seems neither can she. I hope Maverick is ready to be smothered because the moment we find him, we won’t be letting him go.
Even if I have to go through my own mother to do it.