Page 60 of Quiet
“And if you leave, I will find you.” It was the deepest truth in Briar’s heart, and he willed Isa to understand.
Isa closed his eyes and gave a deep shuddering sigh. His head dropped to rest against Briar’s chest. “Okay.”
“Okay what?” Briar couldn’t read Isa’s mind. He needed to hear the words.
“I mean okay, you win. Okay, I’ll stop running. Okay, I . . . love you.”
Briar buried his face in Isa’s hair and breathed in his unique smell. Was it possible for someone to smell like kindness and starlight? He kissed the top of the boy’s head. “Good.”
Isa’s hands dug into the front of Briar’s shirt like he was hanging on for dear life.
“I can keep you safe, Isa.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Isa said roughly.
“You should be.” If he didn’t treasure himself as much as Briar did, it was going to be a serious challenge to keep him safe.
Isa didn’t answer, instead he tucked his face in Briar’s neck and started to shake. Tiny, muffled sobs made his body jerk, and all Briar could do was hold him.
What was he supposed to do? Isa was acting like he’d just given Briar a death sentence, instead of the gift he actually was. He couldn’t read Isa like the boy could him. Half the time, Briar was shit at reading anyone at all.
He tightened his grip. He’d do anything for Isa. Anything but let him go to face his terrible family situation alone. Briar would make it up to him by making sure nothing else had a chance to make him cry.
“I’m sorry, I’ll stop in a second. This is stupid of me. I know your night was far worse than mine.”
Briar tried to voice one of the dozen things his mind tried to crowd into his mouth all at once—and frowned. He hated how words always abandoned him when he needed them most. He wanted to say he didn’t care how his night went as long as Isa was with him now. That even if Briar had had a crappy night, it didn’t take away from Isa’s very real fear of the future. That if Briar could, he’d build a wall around Isa so no one could ever hurt him again.
All he could do was hope Isa would continue to understand what he was trying to convey with the small handful of words he managed to get out. “Not stupid.”
Isa gave a slow shuddering sigh and then went boneless in Briar’s arms. “I won’t let them hurt you either,” he whispered.
Briar shifted Isa’s weight and lifted him, tucking one arm under his knees and using his other to pull the boy close to his chest. He didn’t want to be outside anymore. It was too open and exposed. They’d been beyond lucky to not have anyone stumble across them so far.
Instead of fighting him like Briar had half expected, Isa clung to him like a koala. As if he didn’t want to let go of Briar any more than Briar wanted to let go of him.
Isa had been so strong for Briar when he’d needed him. Now Briar would be strong for him.
He carried the boy through the campus, ignoring the odd looks they received from curious passersby. He nearly headed for his car, but it was too far away. Isa’s room, however, was only a five-minute walk from them.
Even those five minutes were too long. It was all Briar could do to keep his eyes off Isa long enough to get them to the boy’s room without tripping and falling. If he’d thought Isa was entrancing before, it was nothing compared to now.
Isa’s delicate features deserved nothing less than Briar’s rapt attention. The smooth curve of his neck begged to be traced, drawn, and worshiped any way Briar could come up with. But now wasn’t the right time.
As beautiful as he was, Isa seemed diminished in some way, and he called out to something protective in Briar. He wanted to take care of him even more than he wanted to revel in the fact that Isa had given his heart to Briar for safe keeping.
No matter how bad he wanted to touch him. To claim him.
Isa’s shivering had intensified, and Briar held his small body as close as he dared without hurting him. He walked down the hall to Isa’s room until he stood at the door, uncertain what to do. He didn’t want to put Isa down. He wasn’t sure he’d ever want to put him down, but right now he needed to get the door unlocked.
“Isa?”
Isa stirred in Briar’s arms, but instead of answering, he buried his face deeper into Briar’s neck.
“Can you help me get into your room?”
“Mmm,” Isa said.
Briar didn’t ask what the hellMmmmeant. Instead, he kissed Isa on the side of the head. “If you unlock the door, I can keep holding you. Otherwise, I’m going to have to put you down.” Briar had so many words right now. They were just there, ready for him to use as he wished. As easy as breathing. “Do you want me to put you down?”
