Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Somehow, the press knew which private terminal we were flying out of, and even though they were at a distance, I know they still got shots of me getting out of the SUV and climbing the stairs to the jet—while holding Jack’s hand.
I understand what happened was a big story, but the press can easily make you feel like a commodity instead of a person with a soul.
But I’m done hiding—especially my feelings for this man.
To the public it looks like I moved on real quick, but I’ll have the public relations department figure out how to handle it, because my give a damn is busted beyond recognition.
I am incredibly anxious leaving Dahlia alone with Fiona, but I understand the security risk.
It doesn’t mean I have to like it. When I was talking to Fiona, I hoped she could somehow hear me, and I hoped she noticed that I didn’t say goodbye, because I am not willing to say goodbye to my best friend.
She has to come back to us, but Dahlia already sent me a text with the updates from the doctor that arrived as we were leaving, and there wasn’t any good news.
There hasn’t been any good news about Fiona outside of the fact that she didn’t die in the crash.
Daphne is aware of the delicate situation Dahlia is facing having to navigate Fiona’s care and future steps, and I assured Dahlia could trust Daphne without hesitation.
I need to find time to talk to Jack about that and loop him in.
I know I promised Fiona that I would keep her secret, but all things considered, I don’t think she ever expected for this to happen to her, so one more person in her corner can’t be a bad thing.
Plus, I trust Jack—without any hesitation in my entire being—I trust this man. I suspect he would want to know if I was worried about something this big anyway.
He gets annoyed if I’m thirsty and don’t say anything.
And I think it’s adorable. He’s adorable—not that I’ve told him that.
I will tell him how sexy, attractive, and smoldering hot I think he is, but our moments together have been so few and far between, just stolen moments when we can sneak them in.
I’m ready to step into the light with him and stand to face whatever comes next together.
“Damn vultures,” Jack mutters under his breath as he scowls at the press.
“Careful, Ice Man, they might realize you have emotions under there after all.” Wells tries to lighten the mood while we get settled in our seats.
I sit next to Jack, and Wells sits in the chair facing us, with a table separating us.
I know I said we would eat on the plane, but I don’t have any appetite, likely a side effect of the combination of stress and medications I’m on for my injuries.
As soon as we’re in the air, Jack gets a blanket and even reclines my seat for me so I can rest. It’s not that long of a flight but even sitting with my eyes closed feels better instead of trying to focus on things or deal with different light sources.
Wells decided before we took off that it made more sense for us to fly into Lux’s private airport outside Forrest Falls and he would spend a day or two at his loft there before he heads back to London to finish whatever they were working on when everything happened.
By the time we pull into the underground parking of Jack’s building, I’m barely able to keep my eyes open.
I am physically and emotionally beyond exhausted, and I think I could sleep for three days.
My brother and Jack both read the situation and are soft spoken in the rare words they even say as we move out of the SUV.
Jack wraps his arm around me and guides me to the private elevator.
I’ve been to my brother’s Forrest Falls loft multiple times, and I know this elevator only stops on the lobby floor, top two floors, and rooftop.
It’s exclusively for Wells, Max, and Jack’s personal uses, and the only way to access it from the underground parking or lobby is with a key fob or typed in code.
There’s another elevator that accesses the other eight floors in the building, including Lux’s offices, but they refer to this one as the residential elevator.
When the guys want to access the offices from their residential floors, there is a secured stairway they use.
Wells comes up to help Jack with my things, setting a few of my bags down in the foyer. “Are you sure you’re okay staying here? We can easily set you up in one of my guest rooms, Tinsley,” Wells asks for the third time since we left the hospital.
I manage a small smile. “Yes, I’m sure. I just want to take my pain medicine and sleep. I will text or call you when I wake up, I promise.” My brother pulls me into a hug and holds me for just a beat too long before I realize he’s emotional right now. “Hey, I’m okay. I’m here.”
“But you almost weren’t. You almost weren’t okay, and I’m so lucky you aren’t lying in a bed like Fiona, and I know that’s shitty to say, but I can’t even process what I would do if that was you and not her. I can’t lose you, Tinsley.”
I squeeze him tight before leaning back. “It’s a shit situation, Wells. And I’d trade places with Fiona in a heartbeat—”
“Don’t say that,” Jack barks.
I reach out and touch Jack’s arm while Wells keeps his arm around me from our hug. “But I can be thankful that both of us are still alive, okay?”
“I just … I love you, kid. You know that, right?” Wells and I didn’t grow up with a lot—or any—affection in our home, but Wells swears it was different before our dad died.
I’m too young to have any memories of him, but Wells has told me stories that feel like fiction to me because his version of our mother and what our family looked like is a totally foreign concept for me.
“I love you too, Wells.” He kisses the top of my head before Jack and him quickly hug and pat each other on the back. He waves as the elevator doors close, and I feel terrible for the stress I’m adding to his life, but I can’t fix that right now.
Right now, I can barely function.
“Let’s get you settled then you can take the next dose of your pain meds.
I have guest rooms you can have the pick of, other than Cami’s room, but I have to be honest, I would prefer to have you in my bed with me.
” I perk up at that offer, but Jack raises a hand.
“Not for anything to happen. I just would prefer to be able to hold you while you sleep, and to be able to do that in a bed that fits me instead of the small hospital bed.”
I wasn’t even aware I had asked him to come hold me when I had the first nightmare, I just woke up in his arms like a dream … minus the hospital bed.
“That’s where I would rather be too.” My voice is softer than I intended, but this is new for us.
Before we can say anything else, the elevator doors open, but instead of Wells, it’s Cami.
Jack had explained that entire situation before I met her at Savannah’s wedding, and even though our interaction was limited, she seems really cool, and I hope she likes me—and doesn’t mind that I’m moving in for a bit.
Cami is a redhead like me, but her hair is a bit more auburn, and she seems to prefer to add dark purple streaks into it. She has very calming energy, and I hope we can become friends. “Hey, guys, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d be back until later. I hope I didn’t leave too big of a mess.”
I look into the kitchen and see a single coffee mug and a small plate with a butterknife next to it. I wouldn’t consider that a mess at all, but Jack mentioned that Cami is still being too polite around him and acting like a houseguest, instead of a sibling.
“Honey, if that’s what you call a mess, it’s going to get really awkward when I introduce you to my ways,” I say with a smile. “But first, I need sleep. A lot of sleep.”
“Of course. Let me help; what can I do?” Cami sets her purse down and picks up some of my things.
“Where are these going? Your room?” she asks Jack and he nods while thanking her.
We follow Jack’s recently discovered sister who is carrying his best friend’s little sister’s bags into his room like all of this is normal, as if my head wasn’t already spinning a little.
I use the en suite bathroom off Jack’s bedroom and come out to find the covers pulled down.
Jack helps me gently change clothes, careful of my ribs and healing cuts.
I notice he put me in one of his T-shirts, which somehow smells of him even though it’s clean.
Jack tucks me into his bed after I take my medicine and gives me a featherlight kiss as I snuggle into the pillow.
“Rest, and I’ll check on you in a bit, okay?
I’ll only wake you if it’s for more medicine now that you don’t need to be waken every hour, okay?
” I nod without opening my eyes. “Sweet dreams, Red.” I hear him softly say as he quietly leaves the room.
When Jack wakes me for more medicine, it feels like I’ve barely slept, but I must have been out for hours.
I take the pills and push away offers of food, just wanting to crawl back under the covers, which is exactly what I do.
Just before I fall back asleep, the bed dips slightly and I feel Jack climb into bed next to me.
I roll over to get closer and discover he stripped down to his boxers, but I’m too exhausted to explore the opportunity, so I just nuzzle into his chest as his arm wraps around me, pulling me snug against his body.
Before I slip back into sleep, I feel him kiss my forehead softly and a content hum escapes me. I’m safe and protected—so long as I’m holding on to him.