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He nods, grabs my hands and hauls me up, ignoring my gasp, not satisfied until I’m curled up on his lap, in his arms. “I didn’t mean to keep you out of the loop,” he rasps. “I’m at my fucking wits’ end.”
“I know.” I stroke his face, the faint rasp of stubble on his jaw. “It was that bad, huh?”
“It was bad. Fucking flashbacks.”
“Does he remember what happened?”
“Some of it. Says he thought that the car was coming after him, and then the man, that he felt the man touch him, and burn him. He’s fucking caught between realities.” Ash buries his face in my neck. “He can’t remember hiding behind the dumpster where the lady who called me found him. Can’t remember how he got bruised and bloodied. Hell…”
He’s still breathing hard, as if struggling to suck in oxygen. I stroke his hair, stiff with gel, draw in his scent, familiar and sexy. “Shh.”
Now doesn’t seem like a good time to bring up the fight between Tessa and Dylan. “You should stop beating yourself up over this.”
“He thinks he’s gone off the rails, lost his mind, and I can’t promise him it’s not true.” He grunts, clutches me more tightly to his chest. “Can’t promise I can help him. Don’t know what to believe anymore.”
I frown. “What’s bothering you so much?”
Ash lifts his gaze to me, clear eyes shadowed. “His face. His face when we found that oak tree in Wausau. The tree, the house, the neighborhood… He knew that place. He was scared stiff, as if something happened to him there. But if what he remembers isn’t real… then what is the truth?”
I wish I knew. “Have you told the others what you’ve told me?”
“I only just realized what was bugging me.”
“Tell Tyler. Tell Zane and Dakota. I trust your instincts.” When he shakes his head, I brush my hand over his soft mouth, cup his jaw. “Let’s take another look at this mess. There has to be an answer. We’ll get through this.”
He leans into my hand, his mouth trembling. “Love you, Auds.”
“Love you more,” I whisper and kiss him.
He kisses me back desperately, lowers me to the sofa and covers me with his body, shutting out the world outside, just for tonight.
PART III
Dylan and Tessa
I’ll Be Your Man
Chapter Sixteen
Dylan
“Dyl, are you mad at me?” Teo asks, shoving his head under my hand where I’m slouched on the couch, staring blindly at some sports program on TV.
“What?” I stroke my hand through his soft hair and squint down at him. “Of course not, buddy. Why would you ask me that?”
I’m tired after a day at the college and then work. My part-time job is not much—just a gig at a gym—but it pays a couple of bills, and I’ve been putting something aside every month for a special purchase.
For Tessa. If only she and I hadn’t fought…
I sigh as Teo climbs onto the sofa and burrows under my arm. I lift it, and he curls up against me, his short hair ruffled.
“Are you mad at Miles? He’s an ass.”
“Language,” I mutter, tapping on his arm, unable to muster enough authority in my voice—because hey, tired—and also I’m still so grateful this little guy made it out of that dreadful disease okay I can’t even raise my voice at him.
Like, ever. Not even when he threw down my tablet and smashed it. It was an accident, of course, but still.
“I’m not mad at Miles,” I tell him.
