Page 190 of Now and Forever

“I’m a grown woman. I should’ve been wise enough to see where my drink came from.” Looking around the room, I realized Drew wasn’t there. “Where is he?”

“He went into his room so he wouldn’t rip me apart with his bare hands,” Jackson stated.

“Is he okay?”

He shook his head. “I think it triggered his mom’s death. You should’ve seen him, Chlo … He almost brought the hospital down with his anger. They threatened to kick him out if he didn’t contain himself.”

“Jesus.” That didn’t sound good.

“Seeing you might settle him, though,” Jackson suggested as he got up. “Can I get you anything to drink? Eat?”

I just wanted Drew.

Shaking my head, I gave him a wan smile. “I’m okay. You’re free from being my watchdog. Thank you, though.”

He gave me a hug before kissing the side of my head. “I love you, booger face.”

“I love you, too, Jacks.” Hugging him back, I realized my brother was trying to suppress just how terrified he was that I had been harmed.

Before we parted, I told him again not to blame himself. I didn’t think it had any effect on him, though.

Even though I was parched, I knew I had to see Drew before anything else. After softly knocking on his door, I waited a moment before letting myself inside. The only light in the room was coming through the floor-to-ceiling window where the man I loved stood, staring out in deep thought.

“Do you know how it felt to feel your lifeless body?” he broke the silence without glancing backward.

How had he known it was me who had entered his room?

I slowly went over to him then wrapped my arms around his torso from behind. “I’m sorry.” His body was so tense all I could do was hold him more tightly.

“Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m cursed to always lose the women I love. You almost died, Chloe. You almost fucking died in my arms … had I not gotten you to the hospital.” He was so traumatized I felt his body shake a little.

“I’m here. I’m alive.” Kissing the back of his neck, I rested my nose against his skin, breathing him in. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You were almost taken away from me. I had to relive that nightmare when I found her dead and lifeless … I thought you were next.” There was a catch to his voice, as if he were back there again.

Releasing my hold on him, I forced him to face me, and when he did, I wasn’t surprised to find him almost in tears.

“Look at me,” I urged, and he gradually did, bearing those haunted eyes from when I had consoled him after his mother’s death. “You haven’t lost me, babe. All I can do is apologize for putting you through hell in the past twenty-four hours. I can only imagine what it’s been like for you, but it’s over now. Everything turned out fine. I’m fine. But it seems that you’re not, and I won’t be able to forgive myself if I brought you back to that dark place again.”

Holding my head with his hands, he brought my forehead to his lips then gazed at me with stormy eyes. “Don’t ever scare me like that ever again. Promise me, Chloe. Promise me that you won’t put yourself in harm’s way.”

God, I would do anything to erase that haunted look on his face. It tore me apart.

“I promise,” I vowed before smiling at him. “Unless, of course, Caroline decides to poison me when we see them next so she can have you all to herself,” I teased, making him laugh.

“It’s crazy that you think she’s after me, because she’s not. And she better not hurt you, or all hell will break loose,” he said with undeniable conviction. “Although, I find it quite amusing that there’s some major jealousy playing there … Maybe it’s not that impossible that you’ll love me someday, too.”

Men could be dense sometimes.

“Loving you is all I know. Why would you believe me when I told you I didn’t? How can it disappear just like that when I’ve loved you forever?”

He seemed perplexed, speechless even. And when he did manage to get the words out, he was still reeling.

“That’s harsh, even for you, baby.”

“I am, but it’s all in the past now.” I grinned up at him. “And I love you, too.”

He should know that women sometimes said things they didn’t mean. We were crazy creatures in love, and we would say the damnedest things.

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