Page 82 of Eternal
I hissed through clenched teeth. “Didn’t think it was that bad.”
He didn’t answer, but his jaw clenched, and the muscle in his temple ticked.
When he finally looked up, his eyes locked on mine. “You’re going to stop thinking because you’re doing a shitty job at that.”
I didn’t respond, my body felt heavy, the adrenaline wearing off and leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion. I had some shitty nights lately, and I kept training without resting. This injury was the last thing I needed.
His hand lingered for a fraction of a second longer than it needed to on my skin.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled weakly, but it was a lie.
“You’re a terrible liar,” he muttered, maneuvering me carefully.
Before I knew it, he’d pulled me across the center console. I barely had time to process the movement before I found myself in his lap, cradled against his chest.
“What—”
“Stay still.” His voice left no room for argument, one hand steadying the wheel as he started driving again, the other pressing against my wound.
The pressure was firm, sending a sharp spike of pain through me.
“Fuck. Easy!” I hissed, my head falling against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat pounding in my ear.
“You’ve lost too much blood,” he said, ignoring my protest.
I wanted to argue, to tell him I could handle it, but the warmth of his chest against my cheek and the rhythmic beat of his heart was lulling me into a strange, drowsy calm.
How long has it been since someone took care of me like that? I let go of this care myself.
“This is so impractical,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Practicality doesn’t matter right now.” His hand tightened slightly, pressing harder against the wound.
I winced but didn’t have the energy to fight him. “You’re going to wreck the car if you keep me like this.”
“I don’t wreck cars,” he said flatly. “Stop talking and stay awake.”
“Bossy,” I mumbled.
“Shut up and listen for once.”
His eyes stayed focused on the road; his jaw set in that maddeningly calm way of his, but I could feel the way his pulse was faster than normal, the way his chest was rising and falling slightly quicker than before against my cheek…he was warm, he feltwarm.
“I knew it,” I whispered, trying for a smirk. “You’re not just some grunt. What you did on the wound in a few seconds was too clean, too professional. You stayed way longer than you said in the military, didn’t you?”
His grip on the wheel faltered for a second, and his eyes flicked down to me, wide with surprise.
A faint smile tugged at my lips. “I see.”
He didn’t respond, his jaw tightening again as he refocused on the road, but the hand on my side shifted, the pressure turning gentler, almost as if he was silently admitting I wasn’t wrong.
My vision blurred again, and I let my head fall heavier against his chest, the exhaustion creeping in, the pain was still there but his presence made it feel distant, almost manageable.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
“Not sleeping,” I murmured, my words slurring. “But you’re so warm...”
His arm tightened around me. “Stay awake. That’s an order.”
