Walking Heartthrob

Chapter 48 A Heartbroken Heartthrob

"Daylen, Daylen wait!" Daylen stomped outside into the bitter cold without letting go of me, his grip like iron as he dragged me along. It hurt but I knew he didn't realize it with all the rage crackling inside him. He just got raked over the coals, abused, humiliated, and disowned in public by his own father—and on his birthday! It was a wonder he didn't break anything else. His emotions were highly volatile right now I could see. His judgment was clouded and he was probably hurting like hell inside.

"Get in, Lys, please." Daylen opened the passenger door to my car, a wild, desperate expression on his face as he urged me inside. I clutched my arms, shivering like crazy under the snowfall without my coat. I bit my lip, wavering.

"Daylen—"

"Please, please, Lys, I can't stay here another second or I'll do something I'll regret," Daylen begged me in an agitated, broken voice. Swallowing my words, I silently slid into the seat, putting on my seatbelt as Daylen rushed to the driver's seat. He got in, revved the engine and took off with such speed that I was thrown back in my seat with a gasp.

"Daylen, it's dark, it's snowing and—"

"Please, Lys, don't talk to me right now, I'm not in a state of mind to think straight!" Daylen cried out as he drove, weaving and screeching through the roads like a bat out of hell. His eyes were unfocused and had an unhinged look in them. He was so crazed with anger that I worried about him driving like this. Plus he had alcohol in his system; I had to stop him before things got out of hand.

"You're right, that's exactly why you shouldn't be driving right now," I said firmly, trying to keep the quiver out of my voice. "Stop the car. I'm driving."

"Lys—"

"Please, Daylen!" I half-shouted, hoping he'd see reason. It worked; he slowed down by the side of the road and braked. The entire street was empty, no one but we were mad enough to be driving in the dark through a snowfall.

"Switch sides with me, I'll—" I began commanding, but suddenly I heard little sobs and Daylen's shoulders began to shake. He put his head down on the wheel, gripping it with white knuckles and completely broke down, weeping aloud like his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. My own eyes filled up and I pulled him away from the wheel to rest his head on my chest instead. He instinctively clung to me, sobbing his heart out.

"Shh, it's okay baby, I'm here. I'm here for you." I whispered in his ear and wrapped my arms around him, gently rocking him against me while stroking his back.

"Don't leave me, Lys, please don't leave me." Daylen's voice shook with uncontrollable emotion as he begged me between sobs.

"Daylen, I would never ever," I answered gently but with irrefutable assurance, "you don't ever have to be afraid of that." I had to hold on tight to my courage not to break down as well, hearing Daylen talk like that. A few months ago, I was the one sobbing in his arms, terrified of being alone after he rescued me from the haunted mansion and again after my breakup. Back then, I was the one who needed him—now he needed me. The fight with his father had completely undone him; the usually brave young man in my arms was now wrecked with grief, broken and bereft of fatherly love.

"I can't... I can't..." He lisped in cracked cries and I continued to soothe him best I could, wishing I could blot out all his pain with my love. Every sob of his made my heart wring and I hugged him tighter.

"It's okay, sweetie, I'm here. You have me, I love you and I'll never leave you, Daylen." Slowly, his sobs got quieter and he stopped shaking, resting on my chest in silence. His hands still held tightly onto me though like he never wanted to let go.