He’d just killed his own brother. To save me. And it was tearing him apart.
With a groan, he pushed himself into a sitting position, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. Blood dripped down his right arm, and his clothes were also splattered with blood.Hisblood. I’d woken to raised voices and had witnessed Damien stabbing Adrik in the arm. I’d been too weak to say anything, and so overwhelmed by everything that had happened, that I’d just stared in disbelief.
“Adrik,” I whispered again, my voice shaky and weak. “I’m so sorry.”
He lowered his head and let out a strangled sound. Then he sucked in a deep breath and swiped a hand down his face, wiping away the tears.
Shoving to his feet, he stumbled toward me, wincing with each step.
Without a word, he untied me from the ropes and gently lifted me into his arms. Even injured, traumatized, and grief-stricken, he still put me first. He was so selfless and giving. A true hero.
I love him.
My throat shrived up, my chest squeezed, and more tears spilled over. I started to cry hard then. I couldn’t help it. I cried for Adrik, for his pain, his loss, the guilt he must be feeling. I cried for me and what Damien had done to me. I even cried for Damien, for the small boy who’d been abused and had lost his mind from it all and felt the need to punish Adrik for everything.
Adrik took two steps out of the shed, then collapsed onto the ground.
“Hang on,” he rasped, his voice sounding strange. “I’ll get you home. I just…need a moment.”
“Adrik,” I sobbed, touching his cheek.
His gaze darted to mine, the grief in his eyes so deep and devastating it ripped my own heart out of my chest.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “I’m so sorry.”
His breath hitching, he hugged me back, and together we cried, holding onto each other until the chill started to creep into my skin, reminding me we were sitting outside on the ground in the middle of winter.
As if the cold had penetrated through his clothes too, Adrik struggled to his feet again with me in his arms. He began hobbling across the yard. “Need to fix your wound,” he rasped out, the pain in his voice evident. “Then get you home to your family.”
Though he struggled with each step, his arms shaking, he still carried me up the back steps and into the cabin, gently setting me on the couch in the small living area.
“Adrik.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him down onto the couch next to me. “You’re injured, too. Just rest for a moment. Okay?”
He blew out a breath, avoiding my gaze. “I need to get you home,” he repeated, his voice emotionless.
“Eventually,” I agreed. “But right now, can’t I just hold you?”
His gaze moved back to mine, the agony in his eyes twisting my heart in two. “No. I’ll just break down again, and I can’t…” he trailed off, a small sob leaking out. He surged to his feet and limped away.
My heart heavy and aching, I watched him go. Adrik was going to need some time to recover from this. I wanted to help him, but if he kept pushing me away, then there wasn’t much I could do.
With a sigh, I gently removed the wrap around my stab wound. It wasn’t bleeding as badly, but it still hurt. And seeing all that blood suddenly made me woozy.
Don’t you dare pass out.
Every moment with Adrik was precious and I didn’t want to waste any of it.
I took several deep breaths, shoving the wooziness away.
Adrik returned with a first aid kit. Sitting next to me, he opened it, pulling out disinfectant and bandages. A pair of scissors. Antibiotic cream.
I watched as he cut my jeans aside, then winced while he cleaned and bandaged the wound.
“I’m no doctor,” he said quietly. “And I think you should see a doctor once you get home. But I think you’ll be fine with time and rest.”
“Thank you.” I touched his hand. “Let me do yours now.”
He settled back against the cushions while I tended to his arm wound, closing his eyes and not making a sound. It gave me a few moments to study him unobserved.