Page 75 of In the Midst of Chaos

“S-stink,” I managed to say, and it felt like saying those two words cost me years of my life.

His response was to pull me tighter to his chest and kiss the top of my head.

“Never apologize for surviving, baby.”

* * *

Sometime during the night,I woke up. It was dark, and I whimpered, scared that I had dreamed it all and I was still stuck in captivity. Thunder cracked, and I closed my eyes as if that would help me pretend like I was somewhere else.

Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back to a hard chest, making me feel safe.

“Shhh, you’re safe.” Nashton’s voice was soothing and low like a lullaby.

My arms wrapped around his arm, using him as a shield, and at that moment, I felt so weak and scared that I felt disgusted with myself.

“I’m so sorry,” he said in a broken tone at the crook of my neck. “You shouldn’t have ever been alone, baby. You always deserved to be by my side, and I was too much of a pussy to do what was best for you.”

I whimpered.

Nash turned me around so we were face-to-face. The tip of his nose touched mine.

“I can’t lose you, Finnie. I’m done doing what’s right for everyone else. I almost lost you because of it. My brother can hate me, and my father can disown me, but if you love me like I love you, then it will all be worth it.”

It was everything I needed, but I felt like I couldn’t stand by him, not after what happened, not when I felt so broken.

So I didn’t answer him. I didn’t even know if I imagined it.

My head burrowed into his chest, and I cried. I let myself break in front of him once again.

The first time it was out of anger, but this time it felt like a relief that he was there to pick up all the pieces.

Nash pulled me closer to his chest and rubbed my back as tremors overtook me. It was like the last few days were being washed away with the storm.

* * *

The next timeI woke up, I was alone in his room. The curtains were pulled back enough to not blind me with light but enough so I could see clearly. Knowing Nash, he did it on purpose so I wouldn’t freak out because he knew my eyes still hadn’t fully adjusted.

It made me fall for him even more.

I was half sitting up, my back propped up with pillows. I tried to move my legs, but the thought of doing it seemed so tiring, like it would cost my brain years to accomplish it.

Then I tried to move my fingers, and pain radiated from my left hand. It took an effort to even get my head to tilt to the side. My arm had an IV hooked to it.

I wasn’t surprised; I was probably dehydrated.

The door opened and Nash walked in, holding a tray full of food. He stopped dead when our eyes clashed.

“Baby,” he hissed as he looked down at me. His eyes went soft, but they were still full of rage.

“Duncan?” was the first word to come out of my mouth. I didn’t even recognize my voice. It sounded hoarse and scratchy, like I had been smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for the last ten years.

Nash put the food down by the bed, and came to me. He sat on the other side of the bed so he wouldn’t move the IV machine.

“You fucking saved him, Fin,” he told me as he kissed my cheek.

Wetness coated my skin, and I thought perhaps I was crying again, but this time the tears weren’t coming from me but from him.

I looked up at him. The boy who grew up knowing he would be king next to me, and I never thought I would see the day where I would see him break.

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