“She’s resting,” Adam says, but I can see him wavering.
“Please,” I say again. “I promise not to disturb her. I just need to know she’s okay. And I need her to know I’m here for her.”
Adam nods his head and steps back, gesturing for me to come inside. I step in and he closes the door.
“Thank you,” I say.
Adam nods and smiles. “Sailor would never forgive me if I sent you away.”
I return his smile and stand there, suddenly awkward. Do I just go up the stairs, or do I wait for his permission? He saves me from making the decision when he speaks up, suddenly serious.
“Can I ask you something?” he says.
I nod.
“You and your friends. You all seem to care a lot about Sailor,” he says.
“Yes sir, we do. She’s… special,” I say.
I curse myself inside. I said that with way more feeling than I meant to show. I mean, I want Adam to know we do care for Sailor, but I didn’t mean to say it so passionately that the emotion made my voice shake slightly.
“I can see you mean that. Give it to me straight, Rye. Are you in love with my daughter?”
CHAPTER THREE: TELLTALE DREAM
Adam’s question takes me completely by surprise and I just stand there staring at him. I don’t know quite what to say. I mean, there’s no doubt in my mind that I am absolutely in love with his daughter, but I don’t know whether I should admit it to him or not. I am saved when Raven comes up behind Adam from the living room,
“Leave him alone, Adam. Can’t you see you’re making him uncomfortable?” She smiles.
“I just don’t want to see Sailor get hurt,” he says.
“She won’t. Not by me,” I say.
I can tell him that much. Even Sailor can’t be angry at me for that much. Adam reaches out and claps his hand against the top of my arm with a laugh.
“You got lucky this time, kid. But we’ll finish this conversation another time. Go see Sailor and mind you keep your word and don’t disturb her.”
I nod my head and hurry up the stairs quickly before he has time to change his mind. I go to Sailor’s room. I tap lightly on the door, and when there’s no response, I push it open and peer in. Sailor is in bed, her eyes closed. She looks so peaceful lying there, and I feel my heart skip a beat looking at her. I hate that she got hurt because I wasn’t there to stop it.
Her face is a little pale and the cut on her head stands out, but her breathing is deep and even and she doesn’t seem any the worse for wear. I slip into the room and pull the door closed behind me. I walk over to stand beside the bed. I gently stroke Sailor’s cheek. She mutters something and snuggles down beneath her covers, a half smile playing over her face.
I sit down on the side of the bed and watch her for a moment. She isn’t waking up, and as much as I want to talk to her, to tell her I’m sorry, I don’t want to wake her. I pull my cell phone out and text Aziza for an update.
Nexus has been checking out the staircase, seeing if she can find out where it leads to, and I’m hoping she found something useful by now. I slip my cell phone back into my pocket. Sailor shifts slightly in the bed and whimpers in her sleep. I reach out and stroke her face again.
“It’s okay, Sailor. I’m right here. Nothing can hurt you now,” I whisper.
“Don’t leave me,” she mutters thickly.
“Never,” I whisper.
I tuck a stray hair behind her ear and she seems to settle back down again. I wait for a moment and then I pull my cell phone out again, checking for a reply from Aziza. There’s nothing, and I’m debating calling her when a flash of yellow fills the room and a portal opens up. The team and Nexus stroll out, and I put a finger to my lips, nodding towards Sailor.
“I went with her and Adam to the hospital and then came back here,” Aziza says. “Once they let her out, she was almost hysterical saying she couldn’t stay here and stuff. Adam gave her a sedative. We can talk all we want. She won’t be waking up until tomorrow morning.”
I nod my head and Sailor mutters something. Jinx grins and moves closer to her.
“Hey, Sailor?” he says. “Is Jinx the hottest member of the team?”
“Totally,” she whispers thickly.
I smack Jinx in the shoulder.
“Cut it out. She’s not a fucking toy,” I snap.
“Ah, you’re just bitter because she didn’t say no.” Jinx grins, rubbing his arm where I smacked him.
I glare at Jinx, debating whether or not to give him another smack, but Sailor whimpers. I move my gaze from Jinx, thinking only of Sailor now. I take her hand in mine and rub my thumb over it gently.
“It’s okay,” I say softly.
“It’s not okay,” she mumbles.
Her body starts to writhe on the bed as if she’s trying to fight something off in her sleep. I know there won’t be any waking her after what Aziza told me, but I can’t just leave her to suffer like that. I give Sunday a pleading look.
“No way,” he says.
“Sunday, please,” I say. “I need to know she’s alright.”
“Do you have any idea how invasive this is?” he says.
“I do. And I wouldn’t ask under any normal circumstances,” I say.
Sailor moans loudly, almost as if she wants to emphasize my point.
“Fine. But you owe me one,” Sunday says.
He sits down on the bed beside Sailor. He takes her other hand in both of his and closes his eyes. His body goes limp, and I know he’s in her head. I can hear quiet whispers coming from both Sailor and Sunday, but I can’t make out what they are saying, and even though
