Page 5 of Created in Chaos
How can everything be so exhausting? A soft snore has me turning my head in the direction of the sound, and I find two figures in the darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow coming from the large window across the room. One figure is sitting up on the couch, while the other is curled up in the remaining space. A wave of relief washes over me from knowing I’m not alone.
I blink a few times to make sure there are actually two people and I’m not imagining them, but the low light and my blurry vision nearly makes it impossible to tell. Could that be Mom and Dad? Was the accident and everything else I thought happened just a dream?
“Please stay awake this time.” His deep voice fills the empty room, resonating all the way down to my bones in a way I don’t quite understand.
Heavy feelings and emotions tug at the edges of my mind, but I can’t form a clear picture. “I’m…” Tired. I want to finish my sentence, but my throat is too dry.
He rises slowly, as if he’s afraid to spook me. Once he reaches the soft ray of light, his handsome face comes into view, and the words pretty boy echo unbidden in my mind.
I must mumble something out loud, because one corner of his mouth curls up, and he brushes his fingers over my forehead, pushing my hair back. It feels so good, I almost let my eyes shut again, but then I remember what he said—please stay awake this time—and I force myself to stay present.
“I should have known you would keep me waiting.” He leans down, and his lips brush across my temple. Without pulling back, he adds, “You thrive on driving me insane.”
I try to lick my lips, but there’s no moisture. The insane thought of having him this close to my face while my breath must smell like a grave pushes me to ask, “Water?”
He lingers for just a second longer, then moves to a table to grab a pink cup, bringing the straw to my lips. “The ice has probably melted. I’ll get you more in a minute.”
The offer of kindness feels strange, but the moment I swallow the first drop of water, I forget all about it. I have to push the straw out of my mouth with my tongue when I’m done because my head is still against the pillow. “Thank…you.” I pant, feeling a little out of breath since I was barely breathing while sucking down the liquid.
Our eyes lock, and the intensity frightens me a little. Every second that passes allows time to knit itself back together in my mind—the lawyer at my door, Alden, Rory, Astrid, then school, and finally, the Morningstars, Lucian and Nox.
The past few weeks weave together, but I can’t find a reason why he would be here with me, being nice to me, unless…he is the reason I’m here, but I can’t believe that. Even knowing how cruel he can be, I still can’t wrap my head around him putting me in the hospital.
“What happened?” I finally ask while still searching his face.
His shoulders shift as he lets out a heavy breath, then strokes my face again. “You don’t remember?”
I start to shake my head, but even the slightest movement makes it throb. “No.” My heart begins to pound, and I want to sit up, but I don’t think I can.
“It’s okay, lamb.” His lips land on my temple again. “Breathe with me. I won’t let anything else happen to you, just breathe.” I try to mimic his steady inhales, but the edge of panic is still clawing at my insides.
“Lucian, why are you being nice to me? Am I dying?” There’s a quiver in my voice that I hate.
NOX
“Do you think I would let you die? I’d drag your ass back here kicking and screaming if I had too,” Lucian tells her with vehemence in his husky whisper.
“That sounds more like you,” Nova replies. “So why are you being nice then?”
“Can’t you just accept it and pretend I wasn’t an asshole to you before?”
“No, it’s kind of scaring me.”
My brother huffs, but his words are soft and remorseful when he says, “I wanted to hate you, lamb. I tried hard because you get under my skin in a way that… I’m an asshole, I’ll always be an asshole, but not like before.”
“Why? Did you do this to me?” There’s real pain in Nova’s question, and I’m not the only one who hears it.
Lucian leans down so he’s curled over her. “No, lamb. I promise, but I’ll find out who did, and I’ll kill them.”
“You can’t do that,” she argues as if she thinks his words are empty threats. “You’ll go to jail, and you’re too pretty for jail. I’d have to send you a file in a cake and keep you flush with cigarettes so some guy named Bubba wouldn’t make you his B.”
Lucian snorts, then begins to chuckle. “That’s fucked up but also kind of sweet that you’d worry about me. I promise I would not be anyone’s bitch, nor would I go to jail.”
“You say that now, but I went to county lockup once. Those guys are…” She leaves the rest of the sentence hanging. I’m tempted to ask her why she would have been in county jail, but I don’t want to interrupt the moment.
“I’ll pry that story out of you later. Want another drink?” Lucian mirrors my thoughts.
“Yes, please.”