Page 78 of Infernal Hearts

He relaxes into me and rests his head on my shoulder. “I don’t think I can sleep in here tonight. I won’t be able to stop myself from going in and out of her room to check on her. I’ll be lucky if I get an hour’s worth in.”

My heart melts at the thought of his pain. I know what it’s like to worry over someone so deeply. I knit my brow. “Do you want to stay with me?”

“No…I really should stay by her side.”

“She’ll be fine—there’s nothing else we can do. She’s stable and needs rest, not you hovering over her. Plus you need rest, too. I can check on her in the morning after she’s had some sleep. You, however, might need some space.”

He nods slightly. “I could sleep on the floor.”

“Jesus, no. Just sleep in my bed. I’ll take the couch.”

His eyes go glassy, on the verge of letting out a flood. “Thank you. You’re probably right. She needs space, and I can’t be alone. Not tonight.”

I smooth my hand along his arm and nod gently. “Of course.”

Pulling apart, we turn out of the room. With one last look at his friend, Levi turns off the light and follows me back to my apartment.

…

Levi

We walk into his cluttered apartment, and my eyebrows raise, looking around.

He looks back at me and laughs. “What?”

“I just didn’t realize what a workaholic you were until now.” I grin at him, catching his eyes with mine.

“I love what I do.” He sets his keys on the counter and walks behind me, locking the door with a deadbolt.

I sit down on the couch as Grover gets up from his bed, stumbling over to me groggily to lick my hand. He immediately goes back to sleep at my feet. Such a good dog.

Jason sits next to me and puts his palm on my leg. “I’m pretty sure your blood knocked Rani out cold. You doing okay?”

“I thought I was this evil thing. But watching what my blood could do… I’m not so sure anymore.”

“You’ve never been evil, Levi. Not even a little bit. Not that I can see.”

“Thank you, Jay. That means a lot.”

“You’re welcome.” He squeezes my leg, stroking it.

I pull Dane’s necklace over my head and hold it out to him. “I want you to have this.”

His eyebrows furrow, and he doesn’t reach out right away. “Why?”

“As a thank-you. And something to remember me by. To keep me close.” It’s the last thing I have of Dane, but it feels right leaving it behind in this place…with Jay.

His fingers wind around the string, holding it up in the light. The purple crystal shimmers as he winds up the cord and puts it in his pocket. “Thank you. I’ll keep it safe.”

“I know you will.” I sigh, resting my forehead on his shoulder.

The emotional toll of tonight is taking over. I can’t stop thinking about how close I was to losing the dearest person in my life, but the memory of her writhing in pain is just too much to bear. The stinging tears flow silently. There’s no way I have the emotional strength to stay by her bedside all night.

Sensing my incoming breakdown, Jay wraps his arms around me. “Hey, you’re all right.” He pulls me in tight and leans back, rubbing the spot between my shoulders. “It’s all okay now.”

“She almost died.” I suppress my sobs as I press my face into his chest. My body is cold and just feels so heavy. “And it would have been my fault.”

He pushes me back, looking at my tear-stained face. “What even happened?”

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