33. Worth
Beck had ice for his ankle, a large bottle of water that he was sipping on as instructed, and food had been ordered and was on the way. I would make sure he ate slowly since he hadn't eaten in a few days.
I was going to care for him in every possible way. Laurie and I would make sure he followed all the doctor's instructions.
I glanced around the room, realizing Laurie wasn't there. I hadn't even had a chance to talk to him. I wanted us to break the news to Beck together once he'd had something to eat. "Where's Laurie?"
Miles frowned "I'm not sure." He looked at Ben who shrugged.
"He was here a few minutes ago, but I've been focused on Miles and Beck, so I didn't see where he went."
I glanced at Carter and Matteo. They rarely missed any comings or goings.
"He headed down the hall," Carter said. "I heard a door open."
I rose and checked my bedroom. He wasn't there. He wasn't in the bathroom. He didn't seem to be in the apartment at all.
"Laurie!" I called. Shit. I sounded really stressed.
"Is he not here?" Beck asked.
"I'll find him." Where would he go? The roof. I prayed he was up there as I rushed to the stairs. How could I not notice him walking away? I knew he was worried he didn't fit in here, but I'd been so caught up with Beck I'd hardly talked to him. Surely he understood that, though.
"You didn't listen to me, did you?" Beck called.
Fuck. "No, but it's going to be fine."
"Dammit, Worth. I trusted you with him."
"You can still trust him," Miles said. "I've seen the way he looks at your friend. This isn't Worth's usual fling."
"It's already lasted almost a week," Ford pointed out.
I couldn't deal with this yet. I took the steps two at a time. I let out of relieved breath when I saw Laurie sitting on the sofa gazing up the sky. "You left."
"You were busy. Everyone was busy. You didn't need me down there."
"I'm sorry. I knew if I touched you or even talked to you, Beck would know instantly. I was trying to wait to tell him until he'd been examined and gotten something to eat. I should have just picked you up and kissed you when I came in like I wanted to."
Laurie shook his head. "Worth, it's all right. You've got your life here and your friends. I get that."
"No, you don't get it at all. I love my friends, and I love my brother, but I need you. I need you to stay here."
"I can't force myself into your world, Worth."
"You're not leaving."
Laurie scowled. "You can't force me to stay here."
"Please." I dropped to my knees in front of him and set my hands on his thighs. "Please don't leave. I know you think this is crazy. I know you think everything has to change, that this was a vacation fling and nothing more, but that's not how it is. While I was sitting in the car waiting for Miles, Carter, and Matteo to come out with Beck, I was worried about him. I was thinking about him, about their safety, about whether he was injured, but I was also constantly thinking about you, about how I would feel if you were the one who had been taken. I would burn the world down to get to you, Laurie. I love you." The impact of those word hit hard. "I've never said that to any man before."
"Not your brother, your dad, your friends?"
I shook my head. "My parents didn't believe in emotions. I've never been able to say those words, but I'm saying them right now because you have become everything to me. You make me feel more than anyone ever has, and I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here with me. I want us to build something together. I've got an idea. I was going to share it with you later, once Beck was resting, but I think you need to hear it right now."
Laurie was staring at me, eyes wide. "I love you too. I've thought about you ever since we first met. When Beck introduced you, and you shook my hand, my whole body lit up."
"You felt that?"
"Do you mean you felt it too?"
"I did. If Beck hadn't warned me off, I would've done a whole lot more than shake your hand, but I probably wasn't ready then. I needed the time that's passed to realize I'm not happy living like I have been, but you make me happy every minute we're together. I would absolutely love to build a fashion brand with you, but what I would also love to do is help other people who are in your position."
"You really want me to live with you here?"
"Yes, I do."
"I thought the villa in Aruba was nice, but this…I can't even imagine what a place like this would cost. I would imagine one month of it would be more than I've ever made in a year."
I shook my head. "If you don't like it, we'll live somewhere else."
"You're saying you'd buy a new apartment for me?"
"Or a townhome or a house. Whatever makes you happy."
Laurie stared at me like I'd lost mind. "Do you know how crazy that is?"
"Maybe, but it's true."
"I love this apartment."
I smiled, joy filing me all the way up. "Good, then it's your new home."
"I can't just stay here and be your princess. I know you're nothing like Tommy, but?—"
"God no, Laurie. I would never—" He held up his hand.
"I know. You're a good man. You care."
"I love you with every bit of my heart, my soul, my body."
"I love you too, but I have to have something that's mine. I threw myself into my relationship with Tommy and gave myself away completely. I can't do that again. I can't be the princess that you set up on a pedestal."
"I'm not asking for that. I don't want that. I want you to be my partner. I want us to build a new life together. You will have as much say in that as you want, and if you need to go out and get your own job, that's fine too. I don't ever want you to feel trapped here."
"You're serious about that?"
I took both his hands in mine and held his gaze. "Yes. A princess doesn't have to be someone who is cared for and does nothing but look beautiful. Princesses can be strong. They can take a big role in running a nation. A princess can be their own person with their own goals and wishes. I want you to have everything you want, and that includes your freedom. So, if you really…."
I paused, not sure I could force my next words out through the lump in my throat. "If you want to find your own path somewhere else without me, I will loan you whatever you need to get started. That's not what I want, but this has to be your choice."
Laurie was already shaking his head. "I don't want that. I don't want to walk away from you. I'm just scared of losing myself."
"That's not going to happen because I want you as you. I don't want you to be a toy or a possession. I could have that if I wanted it, but it's never made me happy. You make me happy."
"Worth, I love you so much." He opened his arms. "Come here."
I let him pull me to him and kiss me. I felt his love and his lust as the kiss grew rough and sloppy. We wrapped our arms around each other so tightly I worried I was crushing him, but we needed that kind of security.
When I finally pulled back for air, I smiled at him. "You're my princess, and this is my castle, but I'm deadly serious. If you want to be somewhere else, if you want to do something else, then we'll do it. We'll do whatever you want, just please stay with me."
Laurie's smile widened. "I don't want to be anywhere else. You're home to me."
"And I'm going to be the best home you could ever dream of."
"I know you are."
"Then let's go downstairs and talk to my brother."