Chapter Twenty-five
W e must doze off at some point because the next thing I know, my eyes are blinking open to find the room dark.
It takes me another moment to realize what woke me. Lila is struggling to remove herself from my hold.
“Everything okay, babe?”
I can just make out Lila’s smile as she glances down at me. “Yeah, everything’s great, but I have to pee.”
I’m up and out of bed before she can move, lifting her into my arms and carrying her to the bathroom.
“Wyatt! Put me down!”
I shake my head. “Absolutely not. We didn’t even bring in your crutches. I’ll go out and get them shortly, but until then, I’ll be carrying you everywhere.”
She looks like she wants to argue as I flip on the light and set her on the toilet, but she just presses her lips together as I step back into the bedroom.
“Just let me know when you’re done, and I’ll come back for you.”
I don’t wait for her response as I move to turn on the lights in the bedroom as well. A glance at the clock tells me it’s nearly nine o’clock. Lila must be starving.
I hear curses from the bathroom and hurry back over to find her trying to stand up.
“I told you to tell me when you were done.” Shaking my head, I flush the toilet before lifting her into my arms once more.
“Damn it, Wyatt, I need to wash my hands.”
“Well, duh.” I set her in front of the sink, keeping my hands on her hips to keep her steady. Once she’s done, I lift her up again and carry her to the bed.
Neither of us speaks as I help her redress before pulling my clothes on as well. I snicker when her stomach growls.
She shoots me a glare as she crosses her arms over her chest. “Shut up. I’m allowed to be hungry. ”
“You certainly are. Let me bring you out to the couch, and we’ll order dinner before I grab your crutches.”
Lila sighs but doesn’t complain as I pick her up. She wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles my neck as I carry her to the living room. “I hate using crutches.”
“As do most supes,” I tell her as I set her gently on the couch, pulling over the ottoman so she can put her feet up. “We heal so quickly that when we’re forced to use something like crutches, it drives us crazy. They said the cast should be able to come off in a few more days. It’s almost healed, but until then, you’re just going to have to deal with it.”
She wrinkles her nose. “I need to get back to work.”
“The company is doing just fine without you. That’s why you work so hard to have competent people working beneath you. You’re stuck with me for at least a week before you can go back to work.”
“Ugh, this sucks.”
I can’t help laughing. “It does, but at least you get to spend more time with me. Now, what do you want for dinner?”
She considers me for a moment. “Pizza. ”
“That I can do. You want your usual?” When she nods, I pull out my phone and place the order. “I’m going to run out and grab your crutches.”
Lila waves me off, so I finish the order as I make my way to the front door. Since it’s so late, it’s only going to take fifteen minutes for them to deliver the pizza, which is good because I’m starving.
I grab the crutches from my car before hurrying back to the house, setting them beside her before plopping onto the couch beside her.
“You know what I just realized?” she asks, turning to face me. “I’m going to have to get a new car before I go back to work.”
Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I tug her against me. “We can do that this week. Maybe after you get the cast off your leg.”
I flip on the TV, putting on a show we’ve seen a million times but love to rewatch. As soon as the pizza arrives, we devour both pizzas. I also make sure she takes another pain pill. I’d rather she take them before her leg starts hurting.
“Hey, Lil … “ I trail off, wondering if I should really push her on this right now. It hasn’t gone well for me in the past, but I’m hoping that since things have changed, she won’t be so quick to shut down.
“What’s up?” she asks, tearing her eyes from the TV to focus on me.
I bite my lip, deciding it’s worth a shot. The worst thing that can happen is she shuts me down. “I know you didn’t want to talk about it earlier, but I think we should maybe circle back around to talking about the guys and everything they dropped on you today?”
Her face goes blank for a moment before she nods. “Right. Yeah. We should probably talk about them. I don’t know if I can just forgive and forget, Wy. I know I’m not ready now, but I don’t know if I ever will be.”
“They’re your fated mates, babe. That means something.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to choose them.” She scoffs, digging her nails into her uninjured leg. “They left me, Wyatt. Even if they didn’t know we were fated mates—even if they were off saving the realms—they still left me. I was alone with no idea what happened to them and completely brokenhearted.”
“It doesn’t seem like they wanted to leave you. ”
Some people might wonder why I’m trying to help these guys with my girl, but I’ve known for a long time that I would never be the only man in her heart. If she can get past the fact that they left her, they could make her happy—happier than I can on my own.
Lila’s happiness is all I care about. It’s all I’ll ever care about, which is why I keep pushing her on this.
I don’t think she’ll ever be truly happy without the four of them in her life.
She shakes her head. “Maybe they didn’t, but they still did. It still hurts, and I just can’t forgive them right now. I just … I don’t want to think about it right now.”
“Of course, Lil. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
Lila shakes her head again. “No, you should bring it up. If I’m left to my own devices, I’m likely to just ignore it forever. Just maybe no more tonight?”
“Done,” I readily agree as she yawns. “Still tired?”
“It’s the pain pills. If my leg healing didn’t hurt so damn much, I wouldn’t take them.” She sighs, laying her head on my chest.
“Let’s get you back to bed, then. Do you want me to carry you?” Before I’ve even finished asking, I already know what her answer will be.
She shakes her head. “I can do it. Plus, I doubt you’re tired. Feel free to join me when you are.”
I watch as she struggles to her feet and uses the crutches to head down the hallway to the bedroom. She’s stubborn to a fault sometimes and way too independent for my tastes, but hopefully, I can get her to learn to rely on me.
Once I hear the door close behind her, I pull out my phone.
Lila says she’s not ready to forgive them, but I don’t think that’s the full truth. I think she doesn’t think she should forgive them.
They need to redeem themselves, and I’m just the incubus to help them out with that. Assuming they’ll allow me to help.
I pull up the group chat I started while Lila was in the hospital and weigh my words carefully before typing anything.
WYATT
If the four of you stand a chance of winning Lila over, you need to earn her forgiveness .
CARTER
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
OLIVER
We explained why we left.
Is that not enough?
WYATT
No. It’s not.
You need to grovel.
You need to prostrate yourself to her.
You need to show her you’re actually sorry.
AIDAN
Why do you care?
WYATT
Because I love Lila, and I want her to be happy.
OLIVER
Even if that’s with us?
WYATT
She’ll still be with me, even if she forgives the four of you.
If you can’t accept that, then there’s no reason to continue this conversation.
CARTER
You were unexpected, incubus, but you seem like a good guy.
WYATT
I’m a fan-fucking-tastic guy.
Do you know another guy who would help you try to win over his girl?
CARTER
But she’s not your girl, is she?
You just want her to be.
WYATT
She’s my girl now.
But that’s beside the point.
The four of you clearly need help, and I’m here to provide that.
OLIVER
Fine.
AIDAN
What do we need to do?
WYATT
Where’s Ty? Of all of you, I expected him to be the first to respond.
CARTER
Ty’s … having a hard time right now. He’s sleeping.
We’ll fill him in tomorrow after we take him to see someone.
WYATT
Is he okay?
OLIVER
Not in the least, but we’re handling it.
WYATT
If you’re sure. If there’s anything I can do to help, all you have to do is tell me.
AIDAN
Thanks, man, but this is for us to handle.
CARTER
What do we need to do?
WYATT
We’ll need to meet up, but it’ll have to wait until Lila returns to work.
I’m not leaving her side this week.
OLIVER
And you shouldn’t.
WYATT
She’ll head back to work on Monday. It’s technically not the week they told her to take off, but she’s stubborn.
CARTER
You can say that again.
WYATT
You guys worry about dealing with whatever is going on with Ty.
I’ll text you over the weekend with a time and place we can meet.
We’ll come up with a plan then.
CARTER
Sounds good.
AIDAN
Thank you, Wyatt.
We know you don’t have to do this, but we appreciate it.
WYATT
Anything for Lila.
I smile as I toss my phone onto the couch.
At least they’re willing to listen. Maybe they do have a chance at winning her back.
If not, I’ll still be here for her, but there will always be a part of her that’s broken without them. I want her whole, so I’ll do what I have to in order to make sure she is.
Let’s just hope she doesn’t hate me for it.