Take My Hand

11 Every Claim You Stake

"Your punishment will be postponed, but you will be receiving one. Do you know why?" He asked me with a demanding tone.

"Because I was really bad?" I asked. I was pouting a little, but it was hard not to with all the pain and self pity I was feeling.

"Not just because you were bad, Lukas. Because you worried me. You did not just get drunk, but you got very badly hurt. This is not punishment, this is consequences. Therefore, you will still receive punishment." He was horribly logical. I sipped the water some more first.

"Yes Sir. Can I get some sleep now please?" I looked up with sad eyes and he nodded. I felt his hand brush my forehead tenderly and closed my eyes. It was with some surprise I felt his lips brush the skin on my temple.

"Get some rest, Lukas."

*

Crutches are the worst. No wait, casts are the worst. The one I had on my leg was itchy and I got glared at each time I fussed with it. I couldn't sit or lay down without my leg up in the air. It got in the way. Worst yet, I couldn't shower.

"How long do I have to wear this thing again?" I whined as I sat in the back of the limo.

"Eight weeks. You broke it. What did you expect?" Sasha said in a dry voice. He was being mean. I glared at him and tapped my hand on my lap.

"When can I have more drugs?" I pouted as I looked out the window.

"Not for another two hours." He passed me a drink from the cooler and I took a long swig of it. It was juice. Ew. I felt like I was being treated like a kid. It sucked. I crushed the can when I was done and handed it back to him.

"Can't I just...?" I tried yet again to get him to relent.

"No. I will give you your medication when it is time." His stern voice was hard as stone. I sighed.

"What about...?" I tried again with a hopeful look. He shook his head.

"No. You cannot have any marijuana either. Wait until you are off hard drugs before you get into that again. It is not good to mix." He was starting to sound aggravated so I let it pass. "We are here."

I looked out the window again as my house came into the view. There was no one waiting for me out front. I sighed under my breath and waited for the door to open. Sasha brought around my crutches from the trunk. I worked my way out the door, and then he steadied me while I put them into place.

"Thank you Sir." I said quietly. Then I worked my way to the front steps. It was hard to get up and down them, but I managed.

"Welcome back, young master." I looked over at the butler with some surprise.

"Ah, thank you." I nodded as he spoke to Sasha quietly for a minute. Then, after a dark look, Sasha came over to help me up the stairs. This involved picking me up again, much to my embarrassment. "I should try and do it on my own."

"Not today. You have had a long day." He rejected my words and took me to my room. I kept quiet and avoided the sympathetic looks being directed my way from the staff.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" I whispered as we went inside the door. He looked down at me for a second and I could see the internal debate of him trying to decide whether or not to tell me.

"They are worried about you. Some feel sympathetic as to what occurred. That is all." He said shortly. I could hear an undertone of anger in his voice.

"What occurred... tell me Sir, please, what happened after I fell? Are my parents angry with me for disrupting their party? Is that why they haven't...?" I looked up at him after being placed carefully on my bed.

"No. That is not why. They are pretending it never happened." He said with a grimace.

"What? But... how? I mean it must have created a disturbance when I fell. They hate it when I cause a scene." I was confused.

"Which is why they did not allow one to be made. One of the staff told your parents what occurred, and they called me to handle it." He said to me with an angry look.

"They... they didn't call an ambulance?" I was a little stunned.

"No. I took you to the hospital with Matthew." He told me flatly. I stared at him. I looked away after a second and blinked.

"Wow." I muttered under my breath. No wonder the staff were all looking at me like that. My parents refused to stop their party to help their own kid. Who fell down a flight of concrete stairs. And broke his leg. "Permission to say something bad Sir?"

"Permission granted." His growl almost made me feel better.

"Those fuckers." I whispered. My eyes closed and I felt a tear slide down my cheek. No wonder no one was here to greet me or even scold me. I didn't even matter enough to do either. I felt a hand on my head, patting me and it just made me want to sob harder.

A warm body came close and I turned into the warmth awkwardly. His strong arms wrapped my shuddering body and I let the tears spill down in full force as I squeezed my lids closed. His hands rubbed tenderly and took a deep shuddering breath of his wonderful cologne.

"It's alright Lukas. I am here. I care." I heard his deep voice rumble against me and I nodded to let him know I heard him. I reached out with both arms and wrapped them around the strong body, holding him even more tightly against me.

He let me. If anything I felt him hold me just as tightly. It was a relief to have this kind of comfort. I couldn't remember the last time I had a hug from my mother or father. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this safe. This loved.

Did he though? Did he love me? Did I care if he did or not? The thoughts tumbled through my brain as we stayed pressed against each other. Me, seeking comfort. Him, giving it unquestioningly. Maybe it wasn't that important. Maybe it was enough to just be cared for.

It would have to be enough. For now.

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