Page 60 of Forever Yours

“Dad, don’t let Fallon…” I thought of the right words to use. Kill him. Go after his family who had nothing to do with what their son did. I settled for “…go too far.”

“I won’t,” Dad promised.

The condo’s doorbell chimed, abruptly ending our intense conversation.

“Stay put. I’ll get it.”

I yawned. “It’s probably Ash. He’s bringing some of my stuff over from the room.”

I must have zoned out or fallen asleep—damn medication—because when my eyes next opened and slowly regained focus, David was there. A very worried, very intimidating looking David.

I rubbed at my eyes, trying to clear the dregs from my medicated brain.

“Hey.”

“Hey back.”

“When did you get here?”

Somehow, I managed to go from sitting up to horizontal on the couch. I tried to stretch but my ribs said no way in hell.

“Few minutes ago.”

So, I didn’t really go to sleep. More like a quick power nap.

David sat down on the floor, putting us at eye level. I laid completely still as he touched my cheek. My brow. Below my eye. I couldn’t look away from the concern on his face. Or the anger.

“Fuck, Elijah, why did I have to find out from Ash what happened to you?”

The drugs had me moronically replying, “We just met. We’re basically strangers. Why would it matter?”

His large hand gripped the back of my neck. “You matter to me, blondie.”

It felt wrong how much I liked hearing him saying that. The only person who ever gave a damn about me was Dad. Then I met Fallon and Jessi. My small group grew even bigger with Julien, Jayson, Ryder, and Liz. Now Ash and David. When you grew up starved for affection and acceptance, it felt amazing when you got it. I soaked up David’s words like a flower being kissed by the first rays of the morning sun.

A smiling upside-down face with a curtain of black hair popped up above me from the back of the couch.

“This place is awesome. I want to move in. They have a balcony,” Ash said. He popped out of view and reappeared next to David. “Your dad said he would be right back. Something about a quick grocery run and checking into a hotel. I brought your duffel and threw in whatever I thought you’d need. And…” He held up a plastic bag in one hand and a book bag in the other. “I brought goodies. Okay, not this one. Fallon said all the stuff you missed in class was in there.” He set the bookbag on the floor.

David moved from the floor to the armchair. “This is a nice place. What’s the monthly?”

“Rent? I have no clue,” I replied since the guys’ parents were paying for it, and I’d never asked.

Ash plopped down on the other end of the sofa and riffled through the bag he brought. He produced each item with a flourish. Magazines. A new paperback thriller. A bag of Red Vines and a box of Bottle Caps. A couple of DVDs from Redbox.

“A stuffed animal?” I asked when he tossed a fluffy polar bear at me.

“It’s a standard thing everyone who’s been in the hospital gets.”

It was cute and very soft. I snuggled it under me.

“And because I’ve been dying to do it… ta-da!”

He wiggled two bottles of nail polish.

“You’re not serious.”

“I am! Manis are the best. And I bought CU colors. Blue and silver.”

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