Page 115 of As the World Falls

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better,” I tell her before retaking her hand. “But I’ve also been worse.”

“I’m so sorry this happened. If I hadn’t run out, you wouldn’t have gotten shot.”

“It’s not your fault. I would have done the same thing in your position.”

She nods, and to my surprise, she leans in and kisses me softly. Even in my state, I can’t help but moan into her and beg for more. She giggles, gently pushing me back into my spot.

“No. Nope. We aren’t doing this,” I hear Tobias snap out. We both look up at him as he angrily stands before us. “You two aren’t doing this together. Lia, get up away from him.”

She stays completely still, one of her brows cocking at him. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

“I do now.”

“Oh, cut it out. He could have died, Tobias. Have some compassion.”

“There’s still a chance he will if you don’t get away from him.”

“There’s a chance I’m going to sew your mouth shut if you don’t quit bossing me around,” she snaps back to him.

They go at it like that for a while, and I sit quietly, my gaze bouncing between them as they continue arguing. Thankfully, my doorbell rings, and the discussion finally ends. I didn’t care to make any commentary about Cecilia and me because, for one, I was shot, and for two, I didn’t really give a shit what he said. Cecilia was so fucking mine. He’d just have to get over it.

The doctor comes in, hooks me up to an I.V., and begins cleaning out my wound and sewing me back up. Thankfully, the wound was through and through without any pieces left behind, so it was a simpler fix. I glance over at Cecilia, who is pacing behind the doctor. Her eyes land on me, and then she looks away quickly like she can’t handle it, repeating the process over and over.

“You all right, babe?” I call out to her. I hear Tobias scoff from my kitchen island nearby, but I ignore him like I’ve been choosing to do all night.

“You got shot, and you’re being treated and put back together on your couch. This is…insanity,” she rambles. I’ve noticed she talks very fast and redundantly when feeling emotional about something.

“It’s all right. I’m sure I’ll be able to get the blood stains out,” I joke.

She stops, glaring at me. “That’s not funny. You know what I mean.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Please sit and calm down.”

She finally does, and thankfully, the doctor is done with me soon after. He tells all three of us my aftercare instructionsand then leaves, promising to return tomorrow to check on the wound.

It’s just the three of us again, and things become increasingly awkward as we all sit in silence. It was strange, the kinds of feelings I’d never felt before that I suddenly do now after meeting them. I was thankful for it, though, as uncomfortable as they might be sometimes.

Tobias and Cecilia keep looking at each other, their glares becoming more evident and profound as they stare. Cecilia starts narrowing her eyes, and Tobias tilts his head, narrowing his eyes. It was like they were conversing telepathically.

“Well, I’m wiped, so I’ll just leave you two to… talk.” I stand from my couch and head down the hall before looking back at Cecilia. “I’ll be in my room whenever you’re ready to come to bed.”

“You fucker,” Tobias growls, lunging for me as Cecilia leaps off the couch and restrains him. I chuckle as I continue walking down the hall and into the bedroom, knowing that as soon as I am one hundred percent again, he will make me pay for it.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Cecilia

“Why the hell are you so strong?” Tobias growls as I attach myself to him like a straitjacket.

“It’s the resilience after taking care of everyone for years,” I groan back as I fight to keep his legs from moving by wrapping mine around the front of his thighs. He was officially wearing me like a backpack now. He widens his shoulders and shrugs me off him, and I fall onto the floor, once again hurting my tailbone. “You know, I really wish you’d quit dropping me on my ass.”

“Well, quit putting me in situations where I have to.”

“No one is putting you in any situation, Tobias. You put me in this situation. You did,” I cry, becoming emotional.

His eyes widen as he points his finger at himself, walking toward me. “I did this? You stuck your nose where it didn’t belong. You put yourself in the danger that I tried to keep you from. You…you seduced my boss, for fuck’s sake.”

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