Above the Law

Chapter Twenty-Three

Parker let out a howl of pain and shrunk away from her. The sound torn right into her chest. But she held the metal to his skin until his shuddering stopped. She let out a breath of air and held the poker limply by her side. She examined him for a moment, her own breathing rough. She walked around the table, her bloody fingers trailing on the edge. "Are you okay?"

He only grunted.

Eden tenderly removed his mask from his face, then stooped and placed a kiss on his pale cheek. His lips twitched into a weak smile. She picked up a wet rag and went back to work, gently wiping away the dried blood around his wound. "Can you sit up?"

"Maybe," he grunted. Eden eyed the way his abdomen flexed as he attempted to lift himself into a sitting position. "No," he breathed, clutching his stomach and panting sharply. She glanced up, one look at his pale and clammy face made fear rush in.

She wasn't sure if it was sweat or rain made his shaggy hair cling to his forehead, but she pushed the dark strands back. "Let me get you to bed."

"There are better times to hit on me, Eden." He tried to laugh but it came out as a cough. She knew he was trying to lighten the mood, to comfort her, but she was scared.

Eden smiled weakly, grabbed his hand and helped ease him off the table. "Come on, you dork. Put your arm over my shoulder."

"Yes, ma'am." He put his arm over her shoulder, his weight once again crushing her. She gritted her teeth and walked back up the stairs. He inhaled against her neck, then pressed a lazy kiss there. "Don't leave me, okay?"

Eden glanced down at him. She didn't want to pick Parker over Lily. Not again. But she wasn't sure Parker would be okay alone. She wasn't sure either of them would be okay alone. "I... promised Lily I'd come home tonight but if you need me..."

"Bring Lily here," Parker said breathily. "You guys can sleep in my spare bedroom... I just... don't leave me."

Her own breathing faltered. "I—okay."

"Ever," he whispered. "Don't leave me ever."

"I won't." She readjusted his arm, then hauled him the rest of the way to his bedroom, his words ringing in her ears. She helped lower him to his bed with difficultly. He closed his eyes the second his head hit the pillow. "How you feeling?" Eden whispered as she knelt beside him. She brought her hand to his sweaty forehead, then wove her hands in his soft hair.

He grunted again. "Terrible. Dizzy. Cold. I might throw up."

She eyed his trembling body. "Did you break any ribs? Would you know by the bruising or... something?"

He shrugged half-heartedly. "Eh."

Eden smiled faintly, her hands still woven in his hair. "I'm going to get you some ice and ibuprofen, okay?"

He nodded and Eden left. She let Bear inside, grabbed the icepack from the freezer, the ibuprofen from the cupboard, and then walked back to Parker's room with Bear at her heels. Bear trotted around the edge of the bed, his large tongue coming out and licking the side Parker's face.

Parker's laugh was breathy and drained. And the most adorable, heart wrenching thing Eden had ever heard. She helped Parker sit up and then handed him the bottle of water and the three ibuprofens. He handed her back a pill. "Two's enough."

She put the pill back then sat on his bed and watched his throat bob as he swallowed down the pills. "Are you comfortable? I mean, I know you're not comfortable, but would you be more comfortable in pajamas?" She glanced at his leather pants.

He leaned back down against his pillow and smirked lazily. "If you want my pants off, all you have to do is ask."

Eden fixed Parker with an unamused glare, her lips pursed but slowly twitching upwards.