I nodded, sighing at the same time, except I couldn’t do that either. Breathing was difficult so I took a small breath, followed by another one. I was closing my eyelids again when he said my name.

“Sam.”

My heart began racing as I heard how serious he was. I frowned.

He took a deep breath. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here. I don’t know if I’m supposed to distract you. If I’m supposed to make you laugh, or if I’m supposed to be reassuring you. I have no idea what to do, so all I’m doing is just being here.”

Oh goodness. My heart raced faster.

His voice grew rough again, and he added, “You can’t talk back to me, and I need to hear your voice. I need to know you’re okay.”

I tried to squeeze his hand.

He laughed to himself, lifting them, kissing the back of mine. Then he pressed it against his cheek and took another deep breath. “I’m so f**ked up right now. We were going to fight the Broudou brothers when that chick showed up. I don’t even know who she is. She took off when we finally got to your room, and I haven’t let anyone else in here. Logan was supposed to tell people you’re fine.” He broke off and cursed under his breath. “I’m so goddamn sorry.” He frowned before he shook his head again. “What I’m trying to say is that everything will be okay. Kate won’t hurt you again. I’ll take care of her, and I’ll end this thing with the Broudous. I know it’s been bothering you, too. I’ll take care of everything. I know you’re going to stay at your dad’s. That’s fine. I want you to know that I’m fine with that. I made him agree to let us stay there, too, so we’ll all still be together. What the hell am I saying here?”

I wanted to smile at him. I wanted to pull him into me and have him wrap his arms around me, but I couldn’t do either. I couldn’t even tell him to shut up because I loved him, too. That’s what he was trying to say, but he was never this awkward about it. I lifted my hand to his cheek. I cupped the side of his face the same way he always cups mine, and I pulled him to me.

“Sam?” His eyes grew wide and he hesitated.

I pulled again, this time firmer.

He relented until I had moved his face right to mine. I couldn’t feel it, but I pressed his lips to mine. When he pulled away, I saw him brush at something on his face before he settled back into place beside me again.

We remained like that for the rest of the night, but right before I fell back asleep, I felt him kiss my hand.

I was smiling on the inside.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

It sucked being an invalid.

I was released the next day, and it took an entire afternoon before it was decided that I’d stay at Malinda’s house for the first week. I couldn’t go back to school for a week, and she didn’t have a job. It made sense. I would move into David’s after the first week since I’d still have four to six weeks to heal. Of course, Mason and Logan followed me where I went. David already agreed, but Malinda hadn’t been told of the arrangement. When she was informed, both were adamant. David leaned close to whisper, “I warned you they’re protective.” A bright smile was plastered on her face, and she waved him off. “Oh no. It’s completely fine. The more the merrier.”

She didn’t know what she was getting herself into. She must’ve caught my reaction because she broke away from David’s side and took the chair beside me. She patted my arm and leaned in close to me. “I mean it. Those two have become your family, and you are David’s family so that means all of you are welcome in my home, at any time.” Her warm chocolate eyes doubled their sparkle as she added, “I grew up with twelve brothers and sisters. You think three more kids are going to scare me?”

She really had no idea what she was getting herself into.

When I was discharged and being wheeled out of the hospital, I felt like I was part of a Brady Bunch sort-of family. All eyes were on us as we left, but most of the nurses waved to Mason and Logan. David was shaking his head when all six of us got to the parking lot. Mason had pulled his Escalade up to the circle, and I was loaded into it. Logan hopped into Mark’s car. As everyone followed behind David’s Luxury SUV, which I assumed was owned by Malinda, Mason said that Mark and Logan were going to a party that night.

Malinda’s house was a massive log home. Logan was shown to his bedroom, which was a guest bedroom in the basement, and we were shown our room. It was tucked into a back section of the house on the main floor, so it felt like we had our own wing. Mason had packed a few bags for me, and as he dropped them on the bed, Malinda chuckled at us. “You two are like a married couple.”

Uh … I pointed to my head. “Heavy meds here. Say that again?”

She rolled her eyes. “You heard me just fine. So did you,” she threw to Mason. Then she gestured to the door across the hallway. “That’s your bathroom. Your father wanted you upstairs in case you needed something during the night.” Her gaze lingered on Mason. “But I reminded him that you’re not a single package anymore; that you come with a plus-one, whether he likes it or not.”

“Thanks for that,” Mason murmured, leaning against the far wall. He stuffed his hands into his front pockets, which moved his jeans down an inch. As he hunched his shoulders forward, it gave him a longer and leaner look. The tops of his black boxer briefs were visible now, and I could see a hint of his oblique muscles underneath.

I licked my lips. If only … Desire spread through me. When his jeans moved another inch lower, my body felt engulfed in flames. It was like a drop of gasoline had been added to a fire.

Malinda chuckled behind me. “I recognize that look. You got the good meds, for sure.”

I was burning up. “Can we open a window?”

Mason frowned. “What?”

“He says what.” She chuckled some more before stepping into the hallway. “When you get an ice pack on those loins, join us downstairs. We got couches, blankets, movies, pop, whatever you need.”

Why?

Mason said it for me, looking equally confused.

“Saturday family night.” Her eyebrows arched high. “Don’t you two know what family night means?”

We were both silent.

She snorted. “It’s a night you spend with family. Forget any plans you two might have had for canoodling. You’re in my home, and you have to endure the torture. Sorry, Sam. They said you have a mild dislocated jaw, but I got lots of liquids and soft foods for you. Yogurt. Applesauce. The good stuff, but the rest are going to be forced to eat popcorn, pizza, chips, and tacos. You name it, they have to shovel it in. Bahahaha.” She left, her laugh eerily close to an evil witch’s.