Hey Bartender, Love me (book 2)

Chapter 17

"We can't be brave without fear"

***

Luke sat in front of the TV on the couch, waiting.

    He wasn't really watching the show, it was more just on in the background as a distraction. He had nothing else to do, but he couldn't sit in the silence. That would send him into a downward spiral too soon. He was heading there now, but was still holding on to reality.

    His phone was gripped in his hand, turning his knuckles white with how tight he was holding it. There were no messages lighting up his screen, no texts or calls, causing his heart to drop.

    Ashton had gone out with one of his friends from college. The man had stopped by his bar last week and invited Ashton out. This was the first time Ashton had gone someplace without Luke since he was kidnapped. He insisted he would be okay, though Ashton felt bad leaving him, but Luke told him he should go and have some time without him.

    And now Luke was stuck home worrying.

    Ashton had promised to text him a couple of times and make sure everything was going smoothly. After everything that happened with Louis the other day, Luke was on edge. He was waiting for Ashton to check in with him. He'd gotten a text saying they got to the restaurant, and one an hour later just making sure Luke was all right, but that was almost 2 hours ago and now Luke was starting to worry. He didn't want to bother Ashton too much by spamming him with texts and not allowing him his rightful time away from him, but he was getting really anxious.

    He decided he couldn't sit anymore and got up to pace around the living room.

    He kept his phone in his hands as he walked around the couch and the coffee table, checking the screen and confirming his last 2 texts went unanswered. One was from an hour ago just to check in, the other was only sent half an hour ago, but the message wasn't even delivered, which was strange. He wouldn't text Ashton anymore, but also couldn't stop the worrying.

    What if Ashton was being followed? What if someone tried to do something to him and he couldn't defend himself?

     Maybe Ashton decided he'd had enough of babysitting Luke and wanted to leave and that was how he was planning to tell him?

    Rationally, Luke knew that wasn't real. He knew Ashton cared about him too much to leave him without any kind of explanation, but once the thought got in his head, he couldn't stop it.

    He thought for a moment about calling Caity, but his legs gave out on him and he fell to the floor. Ashton left me, Ashton left me, what if he hates me? Do I tell him that I love him enough? Too much? Did I need him too much and now he resents it?

    The negative thoughts were swimming around his head, pushing him underwater and keeping him from pulling his head up. It felt like he was drowning in negativity and nothing would be able to save him. Keeping his eyes open became too much and he couldn't take a deep breath in.

    A bit later, the front door opened, but Luke was too far gone to notice.

    "Lu Lu?" A voice called from the entrance. Ashton was home, and he was expecting Luke to have been waiting for him by the door. "I'm home, and you'll never believe what happened tonight,"

    Ashton walked into the kitchen, but Luke was nowhere to be found. The food that he'd left for him sat untouched on the counter. Ashton's heart sunk. That couldn't be good.

    "Luke," he ran into the bedroom but couldn't find him, he wasn't in the bathroom or the guest room. Ashton went to the living room and found him passed out on the floor, phone lying discarded by his limp hand. "Oh my god," He rushed over and lifted his hand, hoping for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the shallow breaths from his chest. "Luke, Sweetheart, wake up," Ashton lifted his head, but he wouldn't open his eyes. He picked up Luke's discarded phone and dialed 9-1-1.  "Yeah, I need an ambulance, I came home to find my boyfriend passed out on the floor, please," Ashton gave them the address and all he could do was wait until they arrived.