Page 22 of Tears of Ruin

Is he dead? Oh god, please don't let him be dead.

“Help!” I screamed, my voice echoing off the marble walls. “Please, somebody help!”

I turned back around, my hands hovering uselessly over him, afraid to cause more damage. He had protected me, shielded me from the worst of the impact. And now he was hurt, badly, because of me.

Because of the demon that possessed my father.

Sobs racked my body as I leaned over him, my tears dripping onto his still face. “I'm so sorry,” I choked out. “This is all my fault. Please, Richard, you have to be okay. You have to...”

Running footsteps sounded behind me, and I whirled around to see Kyson and Dane sprinting toward us, their faces etched with shock and worry.

“What happened?” Kyson dropped to his knees beside Richard, his eyes wide as he took in the blood and Richard’s crumpled form.

“M-my father,” I managed through my tears. “He ran us off the road. Richard… He saved me but...” A broken sob escaped me.

Dane crouched down, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Noam, this isn’t your fault.” His voice was soft but firm. “Richard will be all right. He’s strong.”

I shook my head miserably, unable to believe him. How could he possibly be all right after this?

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks at his words. Richard had risked everything for me without hesitation. And now he was badly hurt, maybe even... No, I refused to even think it. He would be okay.

He had to be.

“Kyson, go get Malachi,” Dane instructed, his tone serious. Kyson nodded and took off.

I curled my hand around Richard’s, letting him know I was here for him.I can fix this. I can fix this. I can fix this.I had to. It was my father who had just tried to kill us. Martin. I’d never hated him more than I did right now.

The hallway had been empty, but suddenly Malachi was there, eyes filling with darkness as he took in the scene.

Kneeling beside Richard, Malachi pressed his palm to Richard’s chest, directly over his heart, and closed his eyes in concentration.

I held my breath, terrified of what he might say. Seconds ticked by in agonizing slowness.

Finally, Malachi opened his eyes. “He’s healing,” he said, his deep voice laced with relief. “His body is mending itself as we speak.”

“H-healing?” I stammered, hardly daring to hope. “How?”

“Richard is a phoenix,” Dane said casually, causing my mind to short-circuited. Had he just said Richard was a bird?

“Dane,” Malachi said gently, “maybe you shouldn’t blow Noam’s mind right now.”

Too late.

“I’ll get him to his bedroom where he can rest.” Malachi picked Richard up like he weighed nothing. Richard’s head lolled to the side, and a sob caught in my throat.

I tried to follow, but my legs gave out from under me. Dane caught me before I hit the floor, holding me steady.

“Easy, buddy,” he murmured. “You’re in shock.

I jerked away at his touch. “I’m fine,” I insisted, though my whole body was trembling. “I need to make sure Richard is okay. This is all my fault.”

“No it’s not,” Dane said firmly. “You didn’t ask for your father to be an asshole. Richard did what he had to do to keep you safe. He cares about you, Noam. More than I think he even realizes.”

And… I cared about him. I knew he sat outside the grocery store while I worked. I’d spotted him a few times through the large glass windows. At first, I was pissed, feeling like he was trying to claim ownership of me.

But after I thought long and hard about it, it hit me that he wasn’t trying to control me but protect me. In that moment of revelation, my feelings for him had deepened.

Kyson appeared, both men walking with me to Richard’s bedroom.

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