Page 82 of Our Blood, Our Pain

I open my mouth and he gently pushes in the ice chip and rubs it along my tongue and lips before leaving it in my mouth. The heart monitor can’t hide how happy I am that he’s here. I suck slowly on the chip, letting the ice-cold water numb my mouth and ease the dryness.

He repeats the process and feeds me another two chips before placing the cup next to his cup of coffee.

“I’m not happy, Kai. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

I move my legs in the bed, unable to stop the fidgeting under his scrutiny. As I move, a tenderness where my tattoo is lights me up from the inside. The ache is a familiar and comforting sensation.

“What’s wrong? Do you need more pain meds?”

“No, it’s just, my thigh feels tender. Did I injure my leg?”

Jules smirks and lowers his mouth to my ear. His breath tickles my lobe before he speaks.

“No. I did it last night. It didn’t look right, you not having my marks on you. I knew you missed it. Missed the soreness from my mouth.”

Holy shit. If I wasn’t in so much discomfort and doped up with medication, I’d kiss him right now. Jules has other ideas, as he places languid kisses down the side of my neck.

“You had me worried, Kai. I lost myself. Don’t you ever fucking do that to me again. Do you understand?” he growls into my neck as he gently nibbles and licks the skin. I swallow hard at his words. The lies eventually caught up with me, but at least I was the only one to get hurt.

“I promise.”

“You’re coming back with me after they’ve released you. No arguments.”

“You gonna force me, Jules?” I say, unable to stop the slight pant to my words. My stomach is hurting like a bitch, but arousal is determined to make an appearance as the idea of him going all King Kong gets my blood pumping like nothing else.

“I’m gonna be doing a lot of things to you when we get back.”

I don’t doubt his words. Jules is a controlling asshole, and it may now become worse since all this shit happened. Actually, I’m surprised he hasn’t interrogated me about who did this.

“Aren’t you gonna ask me who did this to me?”

“I already know. Zac and Jez.”

My mouth hangs open. How the hell did he know that?

“How…how did you know?”

“They’d been stalking your mom on and off since you left, but she thought nothing of it. You know, considering you didn’t tell any of us that they threatened you if you returned. Apart from Seb.”

The warning in Jules’s voice makes me tremble to my core. He’s pissed. I lied.

“Zac told me before…you know. But, why didn’t she say anything?”

“She didn’t want you worrying. I’m more interested in why you hid what was going on and what on earth you were thinking going back there? Why didn’t you come to me? But you felt okay talking to Seb?”

I look away from him as I can’t stand the judgement. He’s right.

“Seb talked to me at a low point, and it just all came out. I didn’t mean to say anything. I was so upset after overhearing you and Dima that I needed to get away from you, so I just kinda thought they wouldn’t know I was home. I was too hurt by you.”

“I didn’t do anything, Kai. You’re so impulsive, reacting to only part of a conversation. I’m not fucking happy that you question my loyalty to you. I’m pissed you felt you could talk to Seb and not me and purposefully hide what was going on.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jules lets out a long sigh, a sound of defeat.

“Everything will be fine now. They’ll never harm you again.”

I swing my head back to face him at those words. The movement makes me moan out in pain as it aggravates my injury.

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