Page 20 of Forever Found
“Is your head hurting, shortcake?” Eli asked. I turned to him and relaxed even more when I realized he was sat up on the side of the bed, dressed in his usual jeans and a slightly paint splattered t-shirt. There was a bag on the bed beside him and a sweater I recognized sat on top of it, as if Eli were getting ready to leave.
“Yeah. Are you okay?” I rasped. My voice was almost hoarse.
“Much better. The doctor already came around to see me, and he’s happy for me to be discharged as long as I follow up with a doctor and physiotherapist when we get home,” Eli told me.
“Home?” I repeated hopefully. “Can we go home?” I looked between Kane, who was behind me, and Asher.
“Maybe later today if I can get the flight scheduled, but you need to give the police a statement first. Eli too,” Asher explained, and I looked to Eli with alarm.
“You won’t….they can’t arrest you, can they?”
“No, Addy. Of course they can’t. We were kidnapped and held against our will. Everything I did to get us out of there was to save our lives,” Eli assured me.
“He’s right, angel. Eli did nothing wrong. Neither of you did. You just need to tell them everything that happened so they can get to work tracking down Kline,” Kane added as he tightened the arm he had wrapped around my waist.
“The FBI are looking for Max too, and I have the security company I hired searching for leads. It’s only a matter of time before they catch him and bring him down,” Asher added.
“You don’t need to worry about Kline right now. Let’s just concentrate on you. Tell me what you need,” Kane said as he moved his head to the side so he could see my face.
“Adam and Jordan. Can we c-call them? I need to see them both.” My voice was rough sounding and even talking made my head hurt more, but there was nothing I wanted in that moment more than seeing Jordan and Adam.
“You guys do that. I’ll see if we can get some of the pain meds Addy usually takes for her headaches and grab some breakfast for us all. You good there, Eli?” Asher asked as he looked to Eli with concern. Asher looked exhausted, as did Kane. I doubted they had slept much the night before, or in the days we had been missing, and it was telling in the dark smudges under their eyes and the thickness of the stubble on their faces. They were pale and rumpled looking.
“I’m good, brother. Stop worrying and bring us food. I’m half starved,” Eli said brightly, and even though I could see the smile was forced slightly, likely for my benefit, I was still relieved to see him up and looking so filled with life.
“I’m not going anywhere, Ash. They’ll both be fine,” Kane assured my protective brother.
“You want anything in particular, little dot?” Asher asked me.
“A soda would be good, please Ash.” I wasn’t hungry but a drink sounded like a good idea for my raw throat. Asher nodded and left the room in a hurry, closing the door behind him.
“He needs to sleep. He looks exhausted,” Eli sighed.
“You do too, Kane. Have either of you even closed your eyes since we were taken?” I questioned as I sat up stiffly, pain radiating with every tiny movement of my bruised back.
“We’ll sleep when you’re both safe. We’re fine. We both did way more, on way less sleep in our time in the military,” Kane told me.
Kane helped me up and through to the adjoining washroom. I used the facilities, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. There wasn’t much to be done with my hair, but I tamed the cave woman look I had going on into a messy bun on top of my head and changed into a clean pair of leggings and a hoody Asher had brought me from home. Kane had to help me to get dressed, since I ached so much just bending down hurt, but we managed between us, and I was grateful to have my own clothes and sneakers on when we walked back out to the room and found Eli sketching something in a notebook Asher must have brought for him.
“Feel any better, sweetie?” he asked as he lowered the pad and looked me over.
“Yeah. It’s good to be clean and dressed,” I told him, leaving out the parts about how much I hurt and not even daring to consider telling him how messed up I felt inside.
“It is,” Eli agreed.
“Come on. Let’s get you on the bed, then we’ll try Jordan, yeah?” Kane said as he lifted me up and set me at the top of the bed, fussing to pull the pillows behind me up enough to cushion my back, then tucking a thin hospital blanket over me. “I don’t know why the fuck they make these crappy blankets so thin,” he grumbled as he tucked it around me, then looked to me with worry.
“I’m okay, Kane,” I told him, knowing he was worrying about how cold I had been the night before. A night laid on his furnace of a body, seemed to have soothed the chill that was so deep within me the night before though. I grabbed his arm and pulled until he was close enough for me to kiss him chastely. “Let’s call Jordan, please,” I added as we both pulled back, Kane looking marginally calmer for the kiss.
“Here, sweet girl. It’s a video call,” Kane said as he handed me his cell which was already making the call. “Take as long as you need to, okay?” He leaned in to place a kiss on the top of my head, then he walked across the room to perch on Eli’s bed beside Eli, giving me some space but also staying close, which I needed.
“Hey,” Jordan’s voice came over the phone before it loaded his image. Then his image appeared on my screen and I couldn’t help but smile as my eyes filled with tears. He looked tired and a little pale, but he’d taken the time to style his hair and he was wearing the green hoody I loved on him. It complimented his eyes and dark coloring perfectly. “Princess! I wasn’t expecting your beautiful face,” he told me as his spectacular smile got wider. “I can’t even explain how overjoyed and relieved I am to see you.”
“Me too,” I rasped. “Are you alright? How’s Adam?”
“I’m good. Adam’s in quite a lot of pain, but he’s going to be just fine. He’s awake. He sent me for coffee, but when I get back to his room you can talk to him too, okay?”
“Yeah,” I had to force in a deep breath so I wouldn’t break down. I was desperate to see Adam awake and alive. Maybe then the image of him looking way too still and gray on those once white steps, surrounded by his own blood, would leave me.Yeah right.That image is never leaving you, I reminded myself internally. Nothing would ever make me forget the absolute devastation and terror of thinking Adam was gone.