Hearts We Mend To Break (Book I)

.16.

💫GISELLE💫

"Mmmm." A groan in the night sounded off. "ugh!" Angel was getting up when I finally opened my eyes.

"Angel?"

"Where are we?" Angel tried to stand. "Aah! What the—" Immediately, gravity pulled him back down onto the couch.

"Hey. No. Sit down. I'll get you some water." I was up faster than he could counter my offer. By the time Angel tried to decline, I was already in the kitchen getting two bottles from the fridge. On my way back into the living room, I caught Angel trying to get up again. This time I caught him before he fell back down. "God! You're heavy. Here, sit down."

I sat down on the couch first, pulling him down onto my lap so that his head rested on the pillow beside me and all of his upper body on me. He moaned a little from the pain he was in, causing me to massage his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. As he grew calm and still, I slowed down the motion of my hands and simply rubbed his shoulders, chest, back, and head.

"Sorry." He huffed.

"Drink some water. You were on fentanyl, and you haven't had anything to drink since.

"What? You gave me drugs?"

"We had to, Angel." I ran my fingers through his hair.

"So, I'm no longer 'sober'?" Out of all the times to crack a joke, he chose this moment?

"I'm sorry but you were in a lot of pain. Your collar bone was dislocated and your thumb. Not to mention your ribs are bruised. Sevyn and I had to give you eleven stitches." I winced. "Eleven, Angel." Pausing for a moment, hoping he understood the severity of the situation, I continued once he nodded. "Look, I had a doctor friend come by. She checked you out and got you all fixed up. You're going to be ok."

"How much do I owe you?" He laughed, then retracted the glow from his terribly timed sense of humor. "Trust me, I know."

"Really? Because for the past few hours you've been out of it. I was afraid."

"Aww, little Miss Sunshine cares about me?"

"Yes." I knew he was joking or being sarcastic, but I wasn't afraid to let him know he was right. I did care. "As a matter of fact, I do. And I'm worried."

His expression changed from playful to serious again. "I'm okay. This is nothing compared to what I've been through."

"You don't look okay to me, Angel. You were beaten badly. There was blood everywhere. Your bruises and bones and—"

"Hey." He sang a sweet song that comforted my soul. "Giselle, baby. I'm good. I promise." Smiling as he wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead, Angel pulled me closer to him.

"Baby?" My heart was in my throat, causing me to choke on the word.

"Yeah. Isn't that what you called me in the car?" His smile widened.

Raising my head to hide the shame, I laughed a little. After taking a few deep breaths, I lowered my eyes back towards him. "I didn't mean—"

"It's ok. First you kiss me, beg me to take you home, then you call me baby? Oh, and you care about me. Can't forget that part"

"Not like that, Angel. Don't be so full of yourself." Lines formed on my forehead as my brows closed in tighter and tighter. "Forget it." I began to stand, pushing Angel from my lap. Once he was sitting up, I attempted to stand to my feet.