Page 64 of Afflicted

“Juliet didn’t try to kill herself,” I say again, seeing instantly in Sam’s face that she doesn’t believe me. “Juliet slipped and fell.”

“Uh-huh.” Sam runs a hand through her hair and sighs. “Silas look, you’re an intense kinda guy, I can see that. I know that, and now I understand it. But this?” She gestures to my hand that’s holding on to Juliet’s. “This is going to land you both in trouble.”

“I’m caring for someone, that’s not going to land me in trouble.”

“It will if you don’t set yourself a boundary.” She rises to her feet. “I get it, she’s pretty. She’s probably funny and smart and all the other things that have you gagging after her like a dog. But it’s not OK. Jerk off, fuck me, do what you need to do. But this can’t happen.”

I don’t say anything, looking back at Juliet. Sam stands there a moment longer, then stalks out of the room with a frustrated groan.

The monitors beep softly. Juliet continues to breathe evenly, her brow twitching every now and then as though she’s dreaming.

“You remind me of her, in a way,” I say softly. “She always saw the beauty in things, the same way you do.” I get to my feet, leaning over her to place a kiss against her forehead. “You have to wake up, Jules. You can only find beauty in things when you’re alive.”Even if the world’s gone to hell.

CHAPTER21

JULIET

Wakingup when you thought you’d died, when you’d intended to die, is a fucking trip.

I stare around the clinic room, deeply confused. My lungs ache. My eyes are burning, like there’s broken glass inside my eyelids as I try to open them.There’s a soft hissing noise, and a cold stream of air running into my nose. Plastic tubing sits against my face.

A warm hand is wrapped around mine, and when I blink and focus, Silas’s rust-colored eyes are on my face.

“Jules?”

My eyes snap shut.Jules. I wish he wouldn’t call me that. I love that he calls me that. It makes me feel a whole host of things I don’t want to feel.

“Jules?” Soft fingers brush against my forehead.

“Go away.” My voice is gravelly, barely audible. My throat feels like it has freezer burn, everything is cold and sharp. “I don’t want to see you.”

“Well that’s too bad, because I’m right here.” He’s still leaning over me. He’s not moving. If I open my eyes, I’ll be looking right into that face, those eyes filled with concern and care, maybe even love? I don’t know. I don’t want to know. It hurts too damn much.

I shake my head. “Please don’t look at me. I don’t want you to.”

“I want to.” His lips brush against my cheek. “I’m so fucking glad I can look at you.”

A tear bursts from between my lashes, running down my cheek and pooling against my face as it gets caught by the breathing tube. Why did I have to wake up? Why couldn’t that water have snuffed me out?

“I don’t want to live like this,” I murmur.

“Jules, please look at me.”

I take three deep breaths, then slowly open my eyes.

He’s there, gazing at me, all the beauty of a thunderstorm, dark and ominous. But I’m not scared of him. I haven’t been scared of him for a while. Even so, I can’t handle the way he’s looking at me. I can’t take the twist in my stomach as I realize how badly I want him to take me into his arms.

“You found me, didn’t you?” I ask, my voice cracking. “You knew where to look.” He knows me. Hewantsto know me.

“I’ll always find you, angel.”

A little sob breaks from me, and he slides a hand behind my head, holding me close to him.

“I’ll always find you,” he murmurs again. “No one’s going to hurt you, ever again.”

“I just… I couldn’t… When they told me about Matt, I just…” I trail off, and Silas tenses.

“Is that why you did it? Because you wanted to be with him?”

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