Page 33 of Control

He lay perfectly still with his eyes closed as he slept. The slow rise and fall of his chest had me thanking God for the miracle in front of me.

Shyam’s exhale was audible as he stood frozen in his spot. The sight of his brother had no doubt pierced his heart. I hardly knew Jai yet, and I knew this Sethi brother even less, but the strength of their bond was evident with how he looked at his injured brother—like the scene before him injured him too.

Sniffles sounded next to Shyam. Amelia’s small shoulders were shaking as she tried to control her crying. Her husband wrapped her into his arms and brought her to his chest, allowing her to release her emotions in the safety of his embrace.

The other man in the room with us walked slowly over to Jai. Taking hold of his hand in his, he examined Jai’s face as though to ensure he was really alive. He gave Jai’s hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

I stood there staring at Jai, in shock at seeing this strong man in a hospital gown and with an IV in his arm. I was expecting him to wake up suddenly and crack a wise remark to piss one of us off and then flash his captivating smile to make us forget his smart mouth.

“You should all go home and get some rest,” said the man next to Jai. “I can stay with him.”

“No. I want to be here when he wakes up,” Shyam barked, any sorrow he had shown a moment ago gone. I couldn’t figure out why he was so angry. Maybe it was some sort of irrational reaction to seeing his brother hurt. People reacted differently when faced with death.

“You heard what the doctor said.” The man placed his hand gently Shyam’s chest to get him to back down. “I’ll stay and message you when he’s up.”

I stepped closer to the bed. “I’d like to stay. Please.” My voice was small compared those of the men in the room, but it didn’t shake or waiver.

Everyone stared at me in surprise, making me feel more unsure of my request. Perhaps it was out of place for me to stay here instead of his family, but I knew I wouldn’t sleep well knowing he was here all night. “I mean…if that’s okay. You’re his family, so I don’t want to overstep, but I really would like to stay.”

Amelia approached me, her eyes red and puffy. Holding my hands in hers, she managed a weak smile. “Of course. You have my number. Please update us if anything happens.”

“I will.” I squeezed her hand. She pulled me into a quick hug.

Shyam still seemed too upset to say anything, but he nodded his approval.

The other man approached me with a soft smile on his face. “I’m not leaving, but I’ll be in the waiting room if you need me.”

I nodded before he stepped out of the room.

Alone in the dimness, I pulled a chair close to his bed and placed my bag on the floor.

Jai was larger than life and the definition of dominance—almost god-like. But right now, as I stood over him, Jai looked so mortal. The universe could take him away just as easily as it had given him to me.

My eyes traced the tape holding the IV tubing in place on his arm. I couldn’t keep my fingers from skimming the side of his face, grazing the short hair on his chin. I moved over his neck and shoulder, memorizing the outline of his frame. The pads of my fingers glided above the scratches on his arms. They seemed minor, but it still devastated me to see them. His skin felt cool from the lack of circulation.

I sat on the chair next to the bed and pulled his hand into mine, kissing the back of it. Rubbing his palm against my cheek to feel him against me, I silently thanked anyone who was listening in the universe that he was still with me.

Resting his hand back down on the bed, I propped my cheek on top as I set my eyes on him. The gentle sound of his breath lulled me to tranquility and my eyelids grew heavy. I let them fall, still lying on his hand, finally at peace.

Chapter XIV

Jai

It all fucking hurt. My body felt like it had been slammed into a wall repeatedly. My skin felt dry and cracked, like it would split open if I moved. The pounding in my head was blinding and my chest felt tight every time I inhaled, like there were bricks resting on my diaphragm.

The last thing I remembered was a black sedan speeding toward my car in the rearview mirror. I had gripped the steering wheel, trying to maintain control, but the force of impact had been too strong and had sent us rolling. My only instinct had been to release my seatbelt and throw myself over Amelia to shield her from the glass that rained on us. That would explain the current stinging sensation that spread from my neck to my back. Glass must have pierced me from behind. Better me than Amelia.

Where was she? Was she okay?

When I finally found the strength to blink my eyes open, it took me a few moments for my vision to focus clearly. White lights stung my eyes, making them tear up from the brightness. I squinted to limit the amount of painful light passing through my corneas.

I tried to move my fingers and toes to assess the extent of damage. I still had full feeling in my right arm, but my left felt numb.Fuck. Was I paralyzed? I tried harder to wiggle my fingers but only felt the burn of pins and needles. Slowly, not without pain, I turned my neck to look at my hand. My heart stilled.Claire.

Messy waves of blonde hair were scattered over the sheets, covering my hand from view, but I could feel her protective hold on my wrist. Long lashes kissed her cheeks, and her full, pink lips were pouted in the most adorable way as she slept deeply. The awful lighting did nothing to take away from her radiant beauty. Surely, she was part angel because I couldn’t help but feel her serenity wash over me.

Witnessing her at rest was such a contradiction to her fierce spirit when she was awake. Her mouth was enough to scare away the most threatening of men.

Her fire was perhaps the most attractive thing about her, but I enjoyed this glimpse of this version of her too—one who didn’t need to fight just to survive. No evil could touch her here as she slept next to me. Her mind wasn’t racing with a million reasons to push me away in this moment. My heart squeezed in my chest at her vulnerability.

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