Page 52 of Devour
Thank God I still had my gun in hand, I shot him in the head before he could fire again. I don’t know how long I’ve been out. But when I finally open my eyes, the room is dark.
I reach for the lamp beside the bed and switch it on. My eyes search for her. She’s curled up beside me, her hand draped over my chest as if I might disappear if she lets go.
When it shifts slightly, brushing against my side, a sharp jolt of pain makes me grunt softly. Carefully, I ease her hand away and slip out of bed.
On the nightstand, I spot a bottle of painkillers with a half-filled glass of water beside it. I take the bottle, pop two pills, and wash them down with the water.
It takes more effort than I want to admit moving without making a sound. I make it to the bathroom and relieve myself. By the time I get back, I’m exhausted—my body screaming at me for pushing too hard.
I ease back into bed and gently place her hand over my chest. She stirs, murmurs something incoherent, and rubs her face against my side.
The painkillers are finally kicking in. I lift her hand to my lips, press a kiss to her fingers, then settle it back on my chest.
With a slow exhale, I close my eyes, letting sleep pull me under again. When I open them, morning sunlight pours through the window. I squint and raise a hand to shield my face as I attempt to sit up.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a movement— It’s Arie, walking toward me with a tray holding a bowl, a glass of milk, and some fruit. She hurries to my side the moment she sees me trying to get up and quickly sets the tray on the bedside table.
“What are you doing?” she asks, concern in her voice.
“Trying to sit up,” I mutter, my voice still hoarse.
She rushes beside me, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder.
“Stop moving,” she says firmly. “You’re not supposed to strain yourself.”
“If I don’t get up now, I’m afraid we’ll be dealing with a very embarrassing situation.”
She gives me a confused look, head tilted slightly, not quite understanding what I mean.
“I need to take a leak.”
“Oh…”
Her eyes widen slightly, and her cheeks flush. I smirk as I pull back the covers to get out of bed. She quickly regains her composure and reaches out to help me.
“I can manage on my own,” I tell her, but she still hovers close, supporting me until we reach the bathroom.
“Are you going to watch?” I ask, amused.
She turns red—redder than a strawberry—and quickly scurries out. When I finish my business, I wash my hands and brush my teeth.
I should probably take a shower, but I don’t think I can manage it without getting the bandages wet. I know Arie’s been cleaning me while I was bedridden. I make my way to the door and find her waiting outside.
The moment she sees me; she rushes to my side to help me walk. I try not to lean on her too much, careful not to put all my weight on her small frame. She stays close, guiding me gently back to bed.
Once we reach the edge of the bed, I lower myself down with a grunt, and she helps prop the pillows behind me, making sure I’m comfortable. That’s when I really look at her.
She has dark circles under her eyes, her face pale and drawn. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun, and she looks completely burned out. She must have sat like this beside Noah’s bed too—worrying, caring for him, never stopping to think about how it was wearing her down. And now, I’m making her worry all over again.
I can’t even imagine everything she’s been through… taking care of our son, juggling different part-time jobs.
She always wanted to be a teacher. I never even asked what happened to that dream—or why she ended up working at the club. My guess? She got pregnant with my child and gave everything up.
And now, for the first time, I truly realize how much she’s sacrificed for me. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I want us to forget the past and start fresh.
I’m damn sure this is the woman I want to spend forever with. And it took nearly seeing the light fade at the end of the fucking tunnel for me to finally have the courage to say it.
“Do I have something on me?”
