Page 168 of Fractured Future

“Consider it a gift in lieu of grapes.”

“Grapes?”

“That’s what you bring sick people, right?” His dark brows pull tight in obvious confusion. “Grapes?”

“Pretty sure that’s what you take your grandma when she’s in the hospital after breaking a hip, but sure. I’ll accept it.”

“Thanks, dimples.” He flourishes a boyish grin. “You can stay a while.”

“I already live here?” I sputter out a laugh.

“Well, obviously. I don’t pull out my impressive coffee making skills for just anyone.”

Flirtatiously winking at me, Axel disappears back into the kitchen to continue organising my morning medication. He declared it his top priority after coaxing me out of bed to eat and rehydrate.

“Um, hello?” Hyland gawks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

Taking a sip of coffee, I glare at him. “I’m listening.”

“Clearly, you’re not. This is a terrible idea!”

“Give it up, Hy. You’re not changing my mind.”

“I shouldn’t have to!” He pulls at his sandy tresses. “You’ve just been diagnosed with epilepsy, Ember.

“I’m aware of that.”

“You’re supposed to be resting and avoiding stress!”

Again, the giant dick thumps his fist on the table like some kind of bat-shit dictator. I’m going to thump my fist directly into his face in approximately three seconds.

“I still have a job to do regardless of what happened. We need Blaine to talk. If I can make that happen, then I will.”

“You’re so infuriating!” He moves to press the heels of his palms into his eyes. “Like… fuck!”

His chair thrusts backwards with a screech before Hyland draws to his full, intimidating height. He’s been in this foul mood since driving us home from the hospital, stopping to deposit Tom enroute.

The pair of them were united in their collective anger towards me while Warner seems to be taking on the role of peacekeeper. Though he still hasn’t risen this morning, so I’m dealing with the grump solo.

“You have succeeded in making it impossible to protect you.” He casts me an annoyed glower. “Congratulations.”

With that blow levied, Hyland storms towards the hallway then disappears with an aggressively slammed door. Groaning to myself, I lower my forehead to the dining table.

“He is insufferable sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?” Axel jokes.

“What I meant to say was more than ever lately.”

Axel’s palm slides over the back of my neck to deliver a squeeze. “You scared the life out of him, Em. The man’s in a tailspin.”

Lifting my head, I find Axel leaning over me with an outstretched hand. A cluster of white and yellow pills rest in the centre, plucked from the array of prescription bottles I was sent home with.

“It’s not like I intended to hurt him.” I wearily accept the handful of pills.

“None of us ever do.” Axel shrugs, taking a seat beside me. “Hyland hurts his own damn feelings by making the entire world his problem. He’ll get over it.”

“I’ve really fucked things up, haven’t I?”