Page 21 of Lost in the Light

I watched on in horror as Jordan jumped in, grabbing the arm Asher had managed to get free and pinning it to the ground. All three of them were struggling to subdue him, despite the fact Adam was bigger than Asher. Tears filled my eyes as I realized that whatever Asher was seeing had to be something horrendous for him to be fighting so hard. Whatever that was, it was likely something he had lived through and that hurt so much. I hated to think of my kind, protective brother going through anything that would traumatize him so much.

“Damn it Ash! Wake up!” Adam boomed, and suddenly the fight seemed to stop. Adam, Kane, and Jordan seemed to relax just slightly, but they didn’t let go of Asher.

I heard Adam and Asher talking quietly, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Finally the others released their grip and stood up, backing away a couple of steps.

“Asher?” My voice shook as I looked to my brother with so much worry. He sat up instantly and his bright blue eyes locked on mine. They were bloodshot and he looked pale. “Are y-you okay?” I asked shakily.

“What did I do?” Asher barked as he turned from me to Adam, his face set hard as stone.

“She’s okay, brother. You just knocked into her. She’s fine,” Eli tried to soothe him.

“I’m fine Asher,” I added. “Can I hug you? Please?” I pushed to my feet and Eli jumped up to help me. When Asher’s gaze returned to me, he gave a single nod and I ran to him, launching myself against him and wrapping my arms tightly around him.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered as he held me close and pressed his chin to the top of my head.

“If I’m not allowed to be sorry for nightmares, neither are you,” I told him as calmly as I could. Eli walked over and wrapped his arms around both of us. I could feel him shaking too, and realized seeing Asher that way had shaken him as much as it had me.

“When did you get here, Kane?” Adam asked as we all pulled back from the hug.

“Not long ago. I discharged myself. I need to be here,” Kane explained.

“You still need to rest. You have a concussion,” Adam told him firmly.

“I will. I was just getting settled on the sofa.”

“Sleep in one of the bedrooms, for Christ’s sake, Kane. We have security covered for now,” Asher told him.

“We should all get back to bed,” Adam spoke up.

“I can’t stay with Addy. Not tonight. I won’t risk another nightmare,” Asher declared.

“I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about,” I argued.

“I’ll stay with Asher. One of you guys good to stay with Addy?” Eli asked, looking between Adam and Jordan.

“I will. Come on, beautiful. Time to get some sleep,” Jordan said as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and turned me back towards the room I’d been in earlier.

“Will you both be okay?” I paused and looked to Asher and Eli with worry.

“I’ll check in on them, honey. You just try to get some rest, okay?” Adam said as he gave me one of his devastatingly handsome, comforting smiles. I nodded gratefully and allowed Jordan to lead me away, but I couldn’t help taking one last look at Kane before I walked into the room. He was watching me too and he forced a half smile as our eyes met. He had said we were good, and the smile said that too. I just had to hope he meant it, because I could handle not acting on my feelings for him and the others, but I couldn’t stand to lose any of them from my life.

CHAPTER 7

ADDY

“Do you want to lie the way we were this morning?” Jordan asked as we walked into my room and he closed the door behind us.

“This morning seems like so long ago,” I whispered, still feeling shaken, my stomach churning violently with worry for Asher.

“It’s been a hell of a day,” Jordan agreed as he appeared beside me and wrapped his arms fully around me from the side. “Have you slept at all tonight?”

“No,” I shook my head as I turned in his arms until I was facing him. “I’m afraid to.”

“That’s why you were up?”

“Yeah. I went to make some hot chocolate. I thought it’d warm me up. Then Kane came in, and Asher…” I groaned as I pressed my forehead to his chest and forced in a breath. “I kissed Kane,” I confessed, unable to hold it in, and feeling incredibly guilty about it after the way I had reacted to Jordan just trying to talk with me that morning. Jordan placed his fingers under my chin and lifted until our eyes met. “I didn’t mean to! It just happened.”

“Did you want it to happen?” he asked.

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