The Most Dangerous Kind of Love

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Most Dangerous Kind of Love 23

I woke to a dull pain. It wasn't enough for me to be screaming in pain yet, but it was definitely enough to wake me up.

"Jason," I whimpered, my voice cracking slightly.

Glancing beside me, I saw him dead asleep. He was laying on his stomach with his arms wrapped around his pillow, and a little drool was coming out of his slightly cracked mouth. But I couldn't focus on that, or the fact that his muscular back was on full display for me to ogle as much as I wanted.

Slapping Jason's arm a few times, I squeaked as the pain grew gradually worse.

"Jason," I said a little louder. Clutching my stomach as a string of pain sharply laced through it, I let out an unintentional, loud cry.

That made Jason snap awake. His head came up off the pillow so fast I was sure he would be dizzy. I couldn't laugh at his bed head because another stab-like feeling shot through my midsection.

"Channing? Channing!" Jason was saying a little frantically. Softly, he tugged on my shoulder as if trying to tell me something. "Come on, baby, sit up. Sit up."

I shook my head, mentally telling him I couldn't. Curling into somewhat of a ball, Jason immediately stretched me out so I wasn't.

"Come on, please sit up," he begged. Tugging my shoulder upwards once again, I nodded, giving in. Allowing him to help me sit myself in an upright position, he clasped one of my hands and put his other arm around my shoulders.

"Breathe," Jason said softly. "Come on, just breathe through it."

Listening to what he said, I took multiple deep breaths to try to make it go away. Gradually, but very slowly, the pain receded.

Jason was rubbing my back reassuringly, which helped soothe me even more so.

"Better?" he asked softly. I noticed for the first time just how tired he looked and sounded. His eyes were half shut, his voice was scratchy, and his hair was sticking up in every direction.

Nodding to answer his question, I said, "Yeah. I'm really, really sorry for waking you up."

Jason snapped his gaze to meet mine. Suddenly, he didn't look so tired.

"Why are you sorry? Don't apologize. I want you to wake me up when something like this happens. I'm here to take care of you."

I bowed my head in embarrassment. "But I'm so hopeless! I can barely even sit up on my own, much less be able to calm myself down when something like that happens!"

"Channing." Jason said seriously. "You need to hear me say this: I love you. I will do anything to make sure you're okay, including taking care of you in times like this. Got it?"

Looking away, I couldn't help but feel bad.

"Oh no," Jason groaned. "I know that look. You feel guilty about something."

"I just hate how I've come in and ruined your whole life!" I yelled, starting to tear up. "I can't even take care of myself! I can't physically sit up on my own yet. I was kicked out of my own house so I had nowhere else to go. I pretty much turned your brother against you-"

"Stop. Just stop," Jason snapped, sounding pissed. I was sure he was mad because I probably offended him when I brought up his brother, but I was so wrong. "It's not your fault you aren't capable of doing the normal things yet. You were fucking stabbed in the stomach! You have an excuse to let someone take care of you! It's okay if you need help standing up or carrying things because I want to help you. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that, but I truly want to help you, Channing. Why can't you see that? And as for my brother, he's an asshole. He deserves what's coming for him."

I stared at him. How could he say things like that to me when I was so hopeless?

"I can tell by the look on your face that you still don't believe me," Jason muttered.

I smiled halfheartedly.

"Okay, well, all you need to know is that I love you," he said, grabbing my hands and twining them with his own. "I love you, and I always will. I will do whatever I need to do to keep you safe."

Looking into his eyes, I saw nothing but truth in them. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Let me go get your medicine. Maybe that'll help you go back to sleep," Jason murmured, getting out of bed. When he was gone, I suddenly got cold. I didn't realize how warm he was until he left.

A minute later, he came back in carrying two pills and a glass of water. Taking them gratefully, I quickly swallowed them and took a few sips of water to help get them down.

"Thank you, Jason," I whispered.

"You should try to go back to sleep," he said, taking a seat on his half of the bed.

Nodding, I realized just how tired I was. My eyes were still half shut, my voice was tired, and I'm sure I looked one hell.

Jason helped me lay back down before curling up next to me. Pressing a soft kiss on my cheek, he said, "I love you."

"I love you too, Jason," I mumbled just as my eyes shut.