Page 44 of Invisible Scars
“You two should go inside. I’ll go to the front and wait for the fire department and cops,” Micah says in a voice that’s slightly trembling as he places a hand on Jonah’s shoulder.
Jonah stands, avoiding my gaze as Micah helps me up.
“Joe?” I take a step toward him, not sure if I should touch him or not.
“Did I hurt you?” he asks, eyes still cast to his feet.
“No.” I reach out to touch Jonah’s face, but he steps around me. I watch him limp away, rooted to my spot, overwhelmed by the entire event.
“Are you okay?” Micah asks, and I nod, eyes still glued to Jonah.
This is what reliving your worst moment looks like, I realize, and Jonah’s been trying to deal with it alone for three years. The magnitude of emotions that cascade through me is rattling, and before I realize what I’m doing, I’m running after Jonah.
The sound of my heels must alert him, and he turns around just in time to catch me as I fling my arms around his neck and squeeze tight. There’s a moment where he doesn’t move before his arms circle around my waist, and his face buries in the crook of my neck.
“You didn’t hurt me,” I whisper so only he can hear. “You make me feel safe, Jonah.”
I feel his lips curl into a small smile, and deep down, I know that as hard as I try, I’ll never be able to stay away from Jonah Peak.
* * *
JONAH
My hands are still shaking. Nothing I do seems to make it stop. It’s so bad that I’m praying to a god I don’t believe in that Effie doesn’t walk in and find me like this.
My phone rings with Andrew’s name flashing across the screen, and I close my eyes with a long exhale before answering.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Andrew’s grave voice sounds through the receiver. “How’re you doing?”
“I’ve been better.”
“Well, brace yourself, ‘cause shit’s about to get worse.”
“What happened?”
“I went to check up on Effie’s house. Figured you’d want me to. Someone broke in.” His words send ice through my veins.
“I’ll kill that lowlife bastard.”
“Who?”
“Effie’s brother,”
“That’s not the worst part, Joe.”
“Lay it on me.”
“Calgary’s been hurt pretty bad. I called the emergency vet services and Gabe’s on his way to take him to the veterinarian hospital.”
“Fuck.” I lean back in my chair, my mind completely refocused on Effie and her wellbeing.
“Also, I drove by on my way home about an hour ago, right before the explosion, and everything was fine,” Andrew says solemnly. “If that bomb wouldn’t have gone off, Effie would have been home during the break-in. Too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
“Since when do we believe in those?” I ask, gathering my things and sending my brothers a text to meet me at Effie’s. “We’re on our way, Double A. Thanks for being there.”
“Effie’s family, Joe. Where else would I be?”
