Page 85 of While You're There
He stood behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder. He assessed their reflection, appreciatively taking in everything from the freckles on the tops of her shoulders to the depth of her emerald-green eyes. “You’re so beautiful, V. So strong. So brave. So fucking perfect.” He kissed her neck, letting his lips brush back and forth over the delicate skin stretched over her collarbone. Then he turned her around so they were standing face-to-face.
“Show me what to do,” he instructed, nodding toward the vials and the new syringe laid out on the counter. He made quick work of thoroughly washing his hands before giving her his full attention.
Tori measured out the liquid and handed him the syringe. She took a few steps backwards, leaned against the closed bathroom door, then blew out a long breath.
“I’ll pinch the spot where it should go. Just make sure it’s in all the way, then push down on the plunger at a steady pace. This one burns, so I have to brace my back against the door. Don’t stop, even if I flinch.”
“Got it,” he told her with false confidence. He was completely out of his element, underprepared and terrified to stick a needle in his wife’s stomach. But he refused to let her see his doubt.
“Do you want a countdown or a warning?”
“Nope. Just do it.”
He inhaled through his nose, inserted the needle into her pinched skin, then let out a steady exhale as his thumb injected the hormones into her body. Tori didn’t move a muscle, but he didn’t miss how her face screwed up in pain as the burning sensation must have hit. How she had been able to do this all by herself for the last six days was beyond comprehension.
“All done,” he promised as he discarded the used needle into the sharps container sitting by the sink. “But stay there.”
He leaned into her space and let his forehead rest on hers for a few moments as he held her face in his hands. He kissed her once on the forehead, once on the mouth. Then, wordlessly, he dropped to his knees.
He held her hips in his hands, careful not to touch any of the bruises. He let his fingertips brush up and down the sides of her body, against the dips of her waist, along the curve of her hips, over the lace of her panties, then softly down her thighs. He repeated the motion, caressing her over and over, worshipping every part of her midsection.
He kissed the spot he had just injected, his breath warming her iced skin, then gently nuzzled her with the tip of his nose. He found another mark a few inches lower, this one a faded yellow that was barely visible against her pale skin. He held her hips possessively as he moved from bruise to bruise. His mouth brushed over every mark, each kiss a silent apology for each one of the injections she’d had to endure alone.
“Why are there so many more bruises on this side?” he asked when he made his way across her stomach. He continued to hold her steady, peering up through his long lashes.
“It took me a couple tries to figure out what I was doing the first few nights,” she explained, running her nails through his hair as he continued to pepper her with kisses. Rhett stilled as he let her words sink in. His self-loathing returned to a low boil, thanks to her confession.
“I’m so sorry you’ve been doing this alone, beautiful. Especially because I know this wasn’t originally part of your plan. Thank you for being so strong, and for seeing this through for us.”
He wrapped his arms around her, mindful not to touch any of the sensitive spots. She may have been alone all week, but she wasn’t alone now. He vowed to spend the rest of the weekend reminding her that she wasn’t alone in this, that she could count on him, just like he had promised.
“Why are we down here, bro? You got someone upstairs you don’t want me to see?” Rhett joked as he walked through the pedestrian door of the underground garage. It was dark in the cavernous space, the only light coming from the emergency exit signs on the far ends of the basement.
“Nah, not this morning. Really the only overnight guest I’ve entertained lately has been Fielding anyways, and that’s just because I usually pass out before he’s done playing video games.”
Rhett held his tongue as he endured the second reminder of Fielding Haas’s existence that day.
Jake gave him a subtle head tilt, indicating Rhett should follow him deeper into the garage. “I realized last night that you’re gonna need a car. The Prelude’s still in Columbus, right? You can borrow one of mine until we can go get it.”
Waves of gratitude caught Rhett off guard. He had figured he’d just get a rental each time he came to town until he could figure out a time to go back to Columbus. This would be so much easier and more convenient. He didn’t miss how Jake offered to help him retrieve his beloved car, too, which would save him from having to ask Tori to make the drive again.
But Rhett didn’t express his gratitude right away. He couldn’t. He still didn’t understand where things stood between him and his best friend after last night’s icy reception at The Oak.
“Damn, brother. It’s taken us twenty years, but I think I’ve finally rubbed off on you. Now you’re the one making plans and thinking ahead,” he joked, testing the waters and trying to gauge Jake’s reaction.
Jake rolled his eyes as he hit a panel of switches on the wall. The entire garage was suddenly cast into light, illuminating the full garage.
“Yeah, well, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, and I figured if I let you borrow a car, maybe you’d take me more seriously.”
Rhett stilled at the sharpness of his tone. What had originally felt like a generous offer was starting to feel more like a trap. “So I’m getting a car with conditions, then?”
“Something like that,” Jake muttered as he strode deeper into the garage. “Here’s the deal,” he declared, adjusting his backwards baseball cap a few times before continuing. “You can take your pick and borrow anything you want in here”—he waved an arm around the various cars in the garage—“but you have to promise me you’ll reel it in.”
Rhett came to stop by a covered vehicle and leaned his forearms on the roof. The top of the car barely reached his chest, making it easy for the other man to level with him and match his stance on the other side. When Rhett didn’t say anything right away, Jake continued.
“I’ve been watching you, bro. I’ve been watching things spin out of control, little by little. You’re always so level-headed and steady, and you’re a hell of a liar, so not many other people probably notice what’s happening. But I fucking see you.” Jake paused and glared at him over top of the car, an intense anger raging behind his hazel eyes. “You’ve been drinking more than normal, and you’ve been doing shit that we don’t do.”
Rhett caught the inside of his cheek between his molars and bit down hard. He hadn’t expected to be called out like this. Not today. Not this early. And certainly not by his best friend. He turned his head to the side to avoid Jake’s gaze. It wasn’t worth arguing the facts—he had been struggling, drinking more and caring less about covering it up, but he still felt compelled to defend himself.
