Noah POV
Nathan waits expectantly while I see Av snuggle down on the hospital bed, over to the side, making room for me.
I take a deep breath.
I don't want to hurt Av with my decision and there's nothing in the world I would rather be doing then be right next to her...
but...
I know how important Nathan is to her and to be honest, there is the fact that I'm not in control yet. I feel my brain keep sliding in the thought that Av is naked under my shirt, what she felt like against my skin. It grapples with my father's words causing me to want to punch something to get the pain of the barrage out. I want to just rip his shit out of my head.
"Since I'm privy to where giant vagynas frequently habit, least I could do would be to take you," I don't smile. I don't even attempt too. I can't. The guy in front of me is way too much like me, but he is the lesser of the two evils facing my heightened unfamiliar state. It's hard to even vocalise anything in front of him.
I do not want to lose control and hurt Av accidentally right now, never again. I need to compartmentalize what I'm feeling... whereas Nathan can take it if I do lose control. And I need to face the fact I do need to develop somewhat of a tolerant relationship with him. I'm in this with Av for the long run and I can tell in the cold blue eyes narrowing in my direction he could make that difficult.
"What?" Av chuckles but I can tell she's masking her disappointment. Warmth floods my stomach that she can even miss me.
"You're going to leave my sister here? By herself?" his voice is way colder than his eyes. Doesn't affect me as I'm a cold son of a bitch too.
Although, there is more to that question than I feel I understand.
My gaze flicks to Avalon, she sitting up now. Whatever she says will go. "It's okay. I'm hungry and if Noah takes you it will save a vagyna hunt, then you'll both be back sooner than later. I'll have grab a bite to eat and watch something." She nods at the TV hanging silently above her bed.
Nathan swings around to face her, his broad back tense and bulging through his thin shirt. I'm already regretting this. Especially, when I look back to my girl, in that bed she seems vulnerable and small.
"Serious?"
"Yeah, you'll want to grab the Grim costume... trust me, it will go with the car," she smiles.
Nathan pulls out the reaper costume and whispers something to her, she nods and reminds him to take a photo. He steps back.
I move forward not caring and pull her to me, she instantly wraps her arms around me and I want to stay.
She leans into my ear. "This better not be because you are terrified of your car being wrecked because Nathan taught me to drive you know. We're awesome drivers. And I will find you."
Her lips move softly against my lobe causes me to almost push her back and crush her to me simultaneously.
"I'd drive it off a cliff if you asked me too," I whisper back before standing up.
*****(8(J)8)*****
She's not there when I get back, and the guilt that I have felt since the absolute millisecond I walked out of her room hits me like a bone-crushing wave on the shore.
Panic wells up in me. I move toward the bathroom. The doors open and it's empty.
I back away willing her to pop out of somewhere and scare the shit out of me. She doesn't.
