Page 56 of Be With Me

“I want to see her.”

I stepped closer, until I stood at the edge of the curtain and could just see behind it. My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking, some sick part of me almost glad this had happened so I had an excuse to see him again.

Tyler was sitting up, holding his head with one hand. The other was white knuckling the sheets. He was wearing a hospital gown. It exposed his strong back and the top of his fine ass. There was a purple bruise over his left kidney.

His sister stood in front of him, hands on his shoulders trying to force him to lay back down. When she saw me there she said, “See? She’s right here. Now, lay down!”

He twisted around, and I gasped when I saw his face. It was so swollen and discolored I barely recognized him. One eye was nearly swollen shut. His upper lip was cut. He had stitches above his left eye and on his cheekbone. He didn’t say anything. Just ran his eyes over me much like I did to him.

I came to the foot of the bed, and he laid back, jaw clenched and one arm around his ribcage. Willow helped him get his legs back on the bed. He was wearing socks, those slip-proof ones hospitals give you.

“I have Snickers,” I told him. “He’s in the car.”

“Is he okay?” Tyler asked. “I, uh…I didn’t leave him. It was Tony. One of the alters. He’s normally really good about taking care of him, but, I don’t know, something happened. He was upset. And as you can see, he took it out on me.” He waved a hand over his body. “Or rather, whoever the hell it was he’d decided to challenge to a fight. I really wish he’d stick to punching bags.”

I nodded, unsure what else to do.

“Ailee? Is he okay?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. He’s fine. A little cold and hungry. He’s wrapped up in my coat on the backseat with some French fries.” I held up a hand. “I know it’s not good for him. I’ll get him some dog food. Just let me know what kind.”

Tyler stared at me long and hard. “Willow, would you leave us alone for a few minutes?”

“Sure,” she told him after a pause. “I’ll go get some coffee.”

She gave me a small smile as she left. “Thanks for stopping for him.”

“You’re welcome.”

And then I was alone with the man who had changed me forever.

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