Page 112 of Gates of Tartarus

“I don’t know, man. I didn’t get a good look around her place…”

I grin at Lachy, who calls out over his shoulder, “There’s one couch. I am the keeper of the couch. You can’t have a place on it.”

I whisper to him, “It’s kind of my couch, man! I’m the keeper of the couch, right?”

He and Jonah exchange glances, then look down at me with pitying faces. “No,” they reply in unison.

Jonah boops my nose, smiling. “You look so cute, and so confused.”

“Well, I mean…” I start to reply, and he leans over and kisses me quickly, silencing me. Unintentionally I sink into his kiss for a moment, feeling wrapped up in the happiness that is Jonah, letting it wind around me and dance over my skin, before jerking backwards slightly, remembering Lachy. My face flames red, and I can’t look at him. I can’t even think, and I cover my face with my hands, trying to find some balance. The last few hours have torn me from myself and then shoved me back in full of broken pieces. But beyond anything else, I suddenly know how deeply I care for the man beside me and how desperately I don’t want to hurt him in any way.

Lachy taps gently on my shoulder, and I’m forced to meet his eyes, an apology already on my lips. We haven’t talked about what we are or aren’t, but that kiss a few moments agomeantsomething, and I don’t want him to feel like it didn’t, or like it was unimportant. Everything is suddenly too much, the weight of the night crashing into me, and my eyes well with unshed tears.

“Aw now, Suge. None of that now.” He rubs a thumb gently under my eyes and cups my face. “Didn’t you hear anything I said?”

I stare at him, helplessly confused.

“Kailani. It’s fine. Jonah and I are fine. You and Jonah are fine. You and I are fine. It’s okay.” A frown flashes across his face, and he says, “This is too much for you right now,” under his breath.

“But I... I don’t want you to…”

Jonah leans in, and my eyes dart back and forth between the two men. He points at me, then Lachy, then himself. “Throuple!” he whispers in a dramatic voice.

Lachy smiles down at me and laughs a little. “Think of what the woman at Red Ginger will say!”

I shake my head, completely lost. “We’re... we were joking…”

Tilting his head, his brows draw together in gentle concern. “Let’s just worry about getting you healthy, and home, and then everything else can follow…”

I start, all of the previous conversation fleeing my mind. “I can’t!” I say, panicking slightly. “I can’t go home right now, Lach! Gemm… D....” my throat closes as I fight back tears, unable to even get their names out. Jonah’s face darkens as he turns to look at Lachy, then back at me.

Lachy replies soothingly, “It’s okay, Kai. You can come stay in your room at my place for right now, and we’ll work the rest out.” At the small sound of protest from beside, he rolls his eyes and says, “Yes, Jonah. You can come stay too. I have another spare. We have some things we need to talk about anyways. What’s the story here? When can you come home? Safely, obviously. Is there a doctor?”

Pressing the button beside me, he waits for a moment ‘til a nurse rushes in.

“Everything okay?” she asks, concerned. “What do you need, Ms. Reed?”

Lachy turns to her and pulls out a small notebook from his pocket. He never goes anywhere without that thing, so he can record every idea that hits him at an odd moment. It’s part of Lachy, and it makes me smile despite the surrounding chaos.

“I have questions,” he says flatly, and the nurse turns to me with a questioning look.

Waving my hand tiredly, I say, “You can answer whatever he asks. He’s my family.”

Jonah’s head jerks up sharply at the statement, and there’s tense silence in the hall from the waiting Walker and Maddox.

“Okaaay…” she says slowly, fumbling with her tablet in front of her. “How should I record him? And you’ll have to sign, if you’re able, to let him have partial or full access to your records.”

Motioning her over, I say, “I don’t know. You can’t just put ‘family’?” She shakes her head. “Um…” I begin, trying to think, as Lach looks over her shoulder, then points.

“Partner,” he rumbles in his deep voice. “Just mark ‘Partner’.”

Nodding tiredly in agreement, I say, “That’s fine. And he can have full access. He knows everything anyways.”

She and Lachy work through the details, and I close my eyes. Jonah reaches over and takes my hand, gently massaging it in small, relaxing motions, and I drift away, the sound of Lachy’s voice grounding me and holding me safe.

Golden Monkey

Wednesday, 28 November – Maela