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“Didn’t mean…” Nikolas shook his head like he was trying to get water out of his ear. “Didn’t want it to be you.”

“What?” I barked. Concern—for Daphne and my brother—was climbing up my throat.

“What do you mean?” Daphne asked, her tone much calmer even though I could feel the tension in her body.

Nikolas shook his head again, hitting the heel of his hand on his forehead. “Sorry. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to.”

Nikolas continued his incoherent babbles, his eyes unfocused.

“Luke, he’s not okay,” Daphne said, her hand squeezing my bicep lightly.

“I know,” I gritted out, eyes still on my brother. “I’m getting him help.”

“Right now?”

I looked down at Daphne and almost kissed her right there. Instead, I brought my hand up to cup her face. Her cheek pushed into my palm, her eyes shining with concern. For me. For my brother.

I swiped my thumb across her cheek. “Right now, baby. He needs help.”

Daphne reached up and wrapped a hand around my wrist. “Where are you going to take him?”

I spared a glance at my brother, who was still swaying and mumbling under his breath. “I’m going to take him to Persy.”

Daphne’s hand tightened. “You think it’s that bad?”

I shook my head in disbelief. “I don’t know. But he’s my brother. She’ll be able to help him.”

Daphne nodded, her skin scraping lightly against mine. Then she reached for my wrist and pulled my hand away to press a kiss in the center of my palm.

In any other world, one where my brother wasn’t standing in front of us, I would have thrown her over my shoulder right then and there.

But now, I could only look at her and hope she could see how much that one touch wrecked me.

I held onto her hand like it was my lifeline. “I don’t want you seeing this.”

Daphne's fingers gripped me tighter. “But I want to be there for you.”

My forehead dropped to hers on instinct. “I need to do this. I’ll come find you. I promise.”

It was the same promise I’d made right before she left.

Daphne’s eyes closed while her hand gripped my shirt. “I’ll be there. I promise.”

That was different. She’d only let out a breathyokaybefore.

Fuck, I wanted to kiss her. But there wasn’t a chance in hell I could stop at just one.

A gurgle from Nikolas forced me away. He looked green in the gills and if he threw up anywhere near Daphne—or me for that matter—I wasn’t liable for what I’d do.

I tried to step away but was jerked back by the hand still twisted in my shirt. I looked down at Daphne with a raised brow. “I can’t move if you don’t let me go.”

Daphne frowned. A full-blown scowl. Then a skeptical glance at my brother. “I don’t think I want to.”

I chuckled despite myself, leaning down to press a kiss to her hair. I had to physically shove down the fire building low in my stomach. There was something I had to do before I finally took Daphne to bed.

No matter how much I wished things were different.

I carefully wrenched her hand from my shirt, but she held on tightly to my hand instead. I squeezed once and she let go with that frown still plastered on her face.