Page 29 of Invisible Scars
Hot.Not the time, Effie!
Milly leans forward and rests her hand on his arm, and part of me envies how easily she allows herself to provide Jonah with the simple comfort I’m not at liberty to, even though every cell in my body is screaming for me to hold him.
“You should head home and get some sleep. You’ve been in the field since Sunday afternoon, Jonah.” Her voice is soft and full of care. “You’ll be more useful after a shower and some rest.”
Jonah opens his mouth to argue but ends up slumping back with a tired sigh. “I’ll crash on the couch in Zee’s office for a bit, shower in the gym.”
“No, you’re going home.” I stand and place a hand on my hip, leaning the other on the table and directing a stern gaze at Jonah. His brow knits with a frown, and he opens his mouth. “That’s a direct order fromyour boss, Jonah.”
“Fine. Jeez,” he huffs. “I’m not sure I should be driving, though.”
“I have a meeting with the bank board. I’ll drop you off and take a cab from your place,” I offer.
Jonah’s brow wrinkles. “I didn’t know you drive.”
“I’m from New York. We knowhowto drive, we just prefer not to.” I collect my things into my messenger bag. “Plus, that way I can work during my commute.”
“Ah, there it is,” Jonah says, then tosses me the keys to his Jeep.
“I’ll update you once I’m back in the office,” I tell Isaiah, referring to my meeting, and he nods with a grave expression. “Let’s go, Joe.”
I watch him get up, noticing the wince he tries to hide and how much effort he’s putting into walking. I suddenly understand why his limp seemed worse after our romp, how much strain he put on his muscles just to give me what I wanted.
He didn’t exactly get the bad end of that bargain, though.
“Do you think they’re okay?” Jonah asks once we’re in the car.
“Maddie and Sawyer?” I start the car, then adjust the seat and mirrors. “Yeah, between the two of them, it’s hard to think anything can touch them.”
“That’s what I thought last time. Look how that ended.”
“They’re smarter now, more careful,” I say, and Jonah grunts in agreement, leaning his head back on the headrest.
“I just need to close my eyes for a bit,” he mumbles, rubbing his thigh through his jeans, already nodding off.
“I’ll wake you up when we get there.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I glance at Jonah sleeping. His breathing seems labored, and he winces every few seconds, his hand balling into a fist over his injured thigh. I can’t help but place a tentative hand over his clenched fingers, hoping to offer some small comfort.
Jonah’s eyes open a crack, then crinkle at the corners as he flips our hands and secures my palm over his scar.
I try to ignore the warmth of his hand covering mine and concentrate on driving to his apartment complex.
“Joe.” I gently squeeze his thigh, and his eyes snap open with a sharp inhale. His grip on my fingers tightens and he looks around in confusion, groaning and relaxing when he realizes he’s home.
“Thanks, Eff.” He tries for a smile, but it looks more like a grimace, and I extract my hand from his to kill the engine. I hand Jonah the keys, fully intending to catch a cab downtown to work from a café until my meeting starts.
When I don’t hear Jonah’s car door slam shut, I circle to the passenger side and find him gripping it with white knuckles. He’s standing on his left leg, his face contorted and tense, his breath coming out ragged and his face pale.
“I’ll help you get inside.” I walk toward him, but he shakes his head.
“I’m fine. Go to your meeting.”
“You’re not fine, and my meeting isn’t for another three hours.” I slide under his arm. “If this were the other way around, you’d be carrying me in like some goddamn princess, so get over your ego and accept the help you obviously need.”
“You’re in a real bossy mood today, Doll,” Jonah teases in a strained voice as sweat breaks over his brow from the effort of the short walk. “I’ll take a painkiller and sleep it off. I’ll be fine in a couple of hours.”
“Keys?” I hold out my hand and unlock the door once he hands them over, and we slowly make our way to the bathroom.
