The fire in his side began to spread a few minutes later and he grit his teeth against the pain, his jaw throbbing at counterpoint to his side.\u00a0 It felt like she\u2019d put her finger through<\/i> the stitches, not just against them.<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax,\u201d she said, her voice more soothing than it was sharp.\u00a0 Phelan cracked an eye open to make eye contact with her.<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax,\u201d he echoed.\u00a0 \u201cWhen you\u2019re shoving your finger into my side like the stitches aren\u2019t even there?\u201d<\/p>\n
She snorted a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cSettle.\u00a0 The edges are actually starting to firm and nothing\u2019s popped.\u00a0 J.T. was worried that it\u2019d end up infected like the last time something stabbed you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t end up with an infection that time,\u201d Phelan said, letting his eyes slide shut again.<\/p>\n
\u201cJay was still worried.\u00a0 Truth be told, so was I.\u201d\u00a0 She got up from the bed and walked over to his narrow dresser, rummaging around in the basket she\u2019d left there when she\u2019d come to his bedside.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone worries,\u201d he said softly.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the problem.\u201d\u00a0 He opened his eyes and watched her as she dug out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton swabs.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m thinking about leaving, Jac.\u201d<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t sure why he said it.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t intended to, and watching the horror dawn on her face made him realize that giving voice to those words was a mistake.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t go anywhere.\u00a0 We need you.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were words he expected from Marin, not from Jacqueline.\u00a0 His throat grew tight and his heart felt like a ball of lead in his chest.\u00a0 The anger that had given fire to her eyes was gone, replaced by fear and alarm.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow could you even think it?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
What do I say?\u00a0 That my being here puts everyone I love at risk? That if I stay I could get them all killed?<\/i><\/p>\n
That I have to go because I love them, not in spite of loving all of them?<\/i><\/p>\n
He looked away, stared at the wall.<\/p>\n
Jacqueline sighed.\u00a0 \u201cPhelan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have an answer you\u2019ll want to hear,\u201d he murmured.\u00a0 \u201cJust do what you came here to do and leave me be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence stretched between them for a few long moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
He yelped as she poured the rubbing alcohol right into the wound in his side.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The fire in his side began to spread a few minutes later and he grit his teeth against the pain, his jaw throbbing at counterpoint to his side.\u00a0 It felt like she\u2019d put her finger through the stitches, not just … Continue reading