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Jesse had definitely been there.

Chapter Forty-One

JESSE

The soundof the door crashing open, made me sit up, awakening me from a deep sleep. So deep that my dreams had felt real, and it took me a minute to remember where I was. Max was beside me, still sleeping soundly, so I got up to see what the noise was coming from the living room.

When I rounded the corner of the hallway, I saw Easton and another man, who looked a little older, but very similar, to Easton. He must be Westley, and he was trying to calm Easton down as he paced the length of the living room.

“Is everything okay?” I whispered, making both men freeze and turn eerily toward me. West’s eyes were wide, his jaw dropped, and he glanced between Easton and me.

Easton was staring at me intently, his jaw locked tight and his eyes bloodshot and…angry? I started to back away, thinking my idea of going to Easton’s house in the middle of the night was a little reckless.

When I realized Easton wasn’t home, I shouldn’t have used the key to let myself in. I shouldn’t have stayed and climbed intohis bed when it got so late. I shouldn’t have assumed he’d be happy to see me there.

But then Easton’s first words made me pause, and I realized he wasn’t angry, he was concerned.

“I’ve been calling you.”

“I’m… I’m sorry.” I walked towards the table where I left my bag and pulled out my phone. “I fell asleep waiting for you to come home, and it was on silent. Maybe it died.”

“I’ve been calling you,” Easton repeated, slowly walking toward me as if I were a ghost.

“Kinda ironic,” I tried laughing, “that I got upset at you for not answering the phone last week. I promise to apologize forever.”

Easton kept getting closer, and my eyes caught West pulling up his phone to text someone before he ran a tired hand down his face.

“I’m sorry,” I laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t realize you two were having a brotherly bonding night. I just needed to see you. I needed to be here when you got home. But I’ll just?—”

“Where’s Max?” Easton choked out, making me take a step back.

“He’s asleep in your bed.”

“He’s safe?”

“Of course,” I answered quickly with a break in my voice, confusion coursing through me.

Before I could ask anything else, Easton fell to his knees at my feet and wrapped his arms around my waist. He buried his head into my stomach and I ran my hands through his hair. Looking up to West, I silently asked for answers, but his phone was ringing and he sighed before answering.

“Yeah she’s safe,” he whispered. “Max is here as well.”

“What—?”

“They’re sending a patrol car out,” West let us know, then backed out of the front door. He was standing on the porch, his phone in hand, but he left Easton and me alone, so I dropped down to my knees as well.

“What’s happening?”

Easton pulled back and held my head, eyeing me as if he still couldn’t believe I was there. It was the first time I noticed that his face was coveredindirt, black streaks around his eyes and nose. He looked as if he had been fighting a fire, and my brows furrowed with concern.

“Easton? What’s wrong?”

Without an answer, he kissed me, hard and with purpose, like he thought he’d never get to kiss me again. It was more than me just being there. It was more than the emotion of how we left things earlier that day. Something had happened, and I pulled from Easton’s lips, holding him close.

“Tell me what happened?”

“I thought I lost you,” he choked out. “I thought I lost Max.”

“I know I’ve been scared. I know I’ve been pushing you away. But?—”

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