Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

brENDON

I'm in between the realm of being awake and asleep when I hear the voice I love more than words can express.

"You don't look very comfortable," Carter tells me, bringing a soft smile to my lips.

I stretch my arms above my head and open my eyes, taking in the sight of my man in a hospital bed.

Carter is going to be fine, but the doctor wanted to observe him for several hours just to make sure. Seeing as we arrived at the hospital in the middle of the night, he decided it would be best for us to stay until morning.

"Sleeping in a chair sucks, but there was no way I was going to leave you," I tell him, making the corners of his lips turn upward.

"I appreciate the company, but I would have been fine on my own," he murmurs, and I shake my head.

"After everything you went through tonight, the last thing I wanted to do was be away from you. I'm so sorry Matais did all of this."

My throat fills with emotion, and tears fill my eyes as the guilt eats at me.

"None of this is your fault. You couldn't have known that Matais was secretly in love with you and that seeing us together would cause him to lose it," he reminds me.

"I know that deep down, but it doesn't stop these feelings from eating at me," I tell him.

"Well, it's a good thing we have the rest of our lives together. That way, I can remind you every day that none of this was your fault and that I love you more than words can say," he states with a smirk.

I lean forward and reach for his hand. "I love you so fucking much, C, and I'm really glad he didn't take you away from me."

"Me too," he replies quietly, squeezing my hand.

It's a couple more hours before the doctor makes his rounds and signs off on Carter's release. Both of us are beyond exhausted by the time we make it back home.

"You know we're going to have to tell our parents about last night at some point," Carter murmurs as we walk through the door of our apartment.

"We can do that and everything else ─later, after a nap," I tell him as I pull him to my room.

We haven't told our parents about any of the crazy stuff that has been happening because we didn't want them to overreact, but now that everything is behind us, we definitely have to come clean. They are going to be pissed that we kept them in the dark, but they'll get over it eventually.

"Come on, handsome," I say to Carter as I pull the covers back. "I need you in my arms."

He beams at me before climbing in.

Once we are both under the covers, I pull my man into my arms, and he rests his head on my chest.

"This is where you belong," I whisper in a sleepy voice.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be," he replies, sounding just as tired.

Quickly, sleep pulls us under, and a feeling of pure contentment washes over me. Matais might have wanted to take me away from Carter, but there was never any chance of that happening willingly. My heart has always belonged to my best friend, and no one in this world could ever change that.

Carter is the only person I'll ever love. From now until forever.

The End