Chapter 16

NATHAN

Iwatched in a daze as Aiden slumped in my arms. The blood oozing out of him mixed with the blood on my hands. I grimaced at the realization. Aiden deserved better than the desecration of having his blood mixed with that of someone who didn't matter.

As gently as I could, I laid him on the ground and went to the sink to scrub the blood from my skin. There wasn't much I could do about my clothes but they weren't a priority at the moment. When my hands were as clean as I could get them, I made my way back to where I had left Aiden.

My heart raged at the sight of him hurt and bleeding out on my floor. Well, that wasn't a fair statement. The likelihood of him bleeding out from that wound alone was pretty small. Didn't change the fact I didn't like to see him hurt—even if I was the one who had done it to him.

I needed to get him up and moved somewhere else. Then again, the high polish and sealant that was put over the industrial concrete flooring in the kitchen was probably the best place for him to be. Not that it was comfortable, but it provided easy clean-up.

"What am I going to do with you, little bird?" I asked his prone body as I leaned down to check his pulse. Still steady. That was good. Logically, I knew I should kill him. It would be easy, with him unconscious. But the thought made me want to throw up.

Just like every time before when I thought about killing him. I didn't know what it was, but I'd already proven I couldn't do it.

Which was utterly ridiculous!

I'd killed dozens of people without remorse. Yet Aiden had proved difficult from day one. I pushed myself up from the floor and paced as I contemplated my options, of which there really weren't many.

Why did he have to show up at the moment he did? Even if he'd had the cufflink, if he hadn't watched as I slit a man's throat, then maybe I could have come up with some sort of excuse. Though I wasn't stupid enough to believe he'd be stupid enough to believe in any coincidences in the matter.

With a heavy sigh, I went to the small supply cupboard in the hallway and pulled down my makeshift first aid kit. I'd had to improvise, seeing as how, on occasion, I needed more than what a standard first aid kit could provide. I took it back over to Aiden's prone body and laid out the supplies I needed.

After I settled on the floor next to him, I took the scissors and cut off his shirt so I'd have easy access to his wound. Once that was out of the way, I got the gauze and disinfectant and was thankful he was already passed out as I wiped the wound.

The tricky part was going to be the stitches.

Subconsciously, my hand went to Aiden's other side, and my fingers traced the faint lines of the scar that was sure to match the one he'd get once tonight's wound healed. I shuddered at the thought.

With the needle and thread in hand, I set out to stitch the wound. It was harder than one would think, since I didn't have anyone to help. It made the work difficult and uneven. Another person to hold the skin together would have been ideal. But there was no one else. There never was. That was the way I liked my life. It was what I'd strived for.

By the time I sewed him back up, he had thirty-seven stitches in total. It wasn't a record by any means, but there were more pressing matters calling my name.

Once I had the wound taped and covered, I gave Aiden a shot of painkiller. There was no doubt he'd be in agonizing pain, and I wanted to do whatever I could to help ease his suffering when he woke up. Even if I couldn't do that for him in the long term.

I gathered his prone form in my arms and made my way to the garage, where I gently placed him in my car and made my way back to his house. When I got there, I let myself in and did my best to drag him in without looking suspicious. Not that he had many neighbors around.

Mindful of his injuries, I carried him to his bedroom and got him changed into his favorite pair of pajama pants and a loose tank top.

He grumbled and pushed me away as he slipped in and out of consciousness, but he was weak enough he didn't get very far. Given everything he'd been through, I didn't think he would be so eager to get a start on his day as he passed back out.

Not wanting to leave him, I tucked him in before I settled on the bed next to him, but I remained careful not to touch him.

I let out a sigh and wondered if it was going to be the last time. With that thought, I couldn't fall asleep. Instead, I lay there, watching his fitful sleep, and wished he looked peaceful.

More than that, I wished I could undo everything I had done to hurt him. But that was beyond my capabilities.

Just as dawn broke, I gave him another shot of the painkiller and gathered everything I'd ever left behind, removing any trace that I'd ever been there. Before I left, I took one final look at him and smoothed his hair out of his face.

"Be well, my little bird," I said as I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.