Page 25

CHAPTER 24

Noah

I t took me longer to get back inside and to the room I woke up in than I care to admit. Too many questions swarm around my head, but I can’t focus on that. Not when Reed acted like I was nothing but wasted space. He couldn’t even look at me. How could he just brush me off so effortlessly? It was like I was nothing more than just a passing thought.

And I hate admitting that it stung. I hate the back-and-forth I get from him. One moment he’s fine and I can talk to him, and then the next, it’s like he’s a different person.

I don’t understand.

I don’t have time to mull that over, not when climbing into bed takes nearly all of my energy. By the time I finally get situated, I have to lie still for a moment, just breathing. But every time I try to breathe, it feels like I’ve swallowed pins and needles.

I don’t know how long I lie there before I hear heavy footsteps drawing closer. My heart picks up, which only feels like someone rammed a hot poker straight into my chest.

The door opens, and Reed steps through, holding a tray of sorts in his hands. I hate that it does pique my interest. I didn’t realize how dry my mouth was until I noticed the glass of water.

I watch as Reed steps closer, placing the tray down on the side table. Peering over, I take in the soup, bowl of fruit, probably from a can, and two white pills.

“Here,” Reed hands me the glass of water. As much as I want to refuse anything from him, I don’t. I’m petty, but not enough to die from the lack of water. Taking the water from him, I drink deeply until it’s nearly gone. I feel his eyes on me the entire time, and I hate that I don’t mind it.

Handing him the glass, Reed sets it down before grabbing the plate of food.

“Where am I?” I ask.

Reed tries handing me the plate, but I shake my head. Even though I’m starving, I want—need to know where I’m at.

“Where am I, Reed?” My tone is harsher than normal.

“The cabin.” A simple answer. Yet it doesn’t satisfy me. Not one bit.

“This is some cabin,” I roll my eyes then glance around the plain room.

He nods but doesn’t respond.

“And how did I get to the cabin? I–I don’t remember much.” I frown, trying to search my brain for what happened. But it’s like there’s a big wall blocking me from remembering.

“Eat, Noah.” Once again he holds out the plate. I think about taking it from him since I am starving and I can’t remember the last time I ate. But Reed's holding something back, and I don’t like it.

“What are you hiding from me?”

“Eat the food.” Reed narrows his eyes at me.

“Tell me what happened, and then maybe I’ll eat the food, Reed.”

I’m testing him, waiting to see if he’ll bite. But I’m also moments from snatching that soup off the plate and devouring it. I’m just hoping he’ll answer me before then.

“Noah, I’m not one that you should push. Eat the fucking soup before I pour it down your throat.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up at his threat. Never once in our journey across multiple states did Reed ever intimidate me. That the muscles in my face can’t stop forming a small smile.

“I’m not joking,” he growls.

“Yeah, okay. How about you tell me what happened, and then I’ll eat?”

He gazes at me unsmiling. Silence surrounds us before he suddenly sighs.

“An accident. I’m not too sure. Now eat.”

I roll my eyes. Of course, Reed would take the easy way out. I should’ve known he wasn’t going to give me anything.

He raises the bowl once more, presenting the soup. I’m a weak man, because I give up and take the bowl from him. A hiss escapes from my mouth as I try to lift the thing. Reed pulls back, placing the bowl back on the tray.

“I was going to eat.”

My stomach growls as if on cue. I open my mouth to say something else but stop when Reed grabs the spoon and comes towards me.

“What are you doing?” I ask, frowning.

He eyes the spoon and then me. As if he’s clearly telling me exactly what he’s doing. Which from the looks of it, he’s going to try and feed me. I want to die of humiliation. I doubt my own parents even fed me; they probably had the nannies do it.

Reed seems fine with shoving the spoon in my mouth, so I save us both the headache and open my mouth. The moment the soup touches my tongue, I groan. Even before the dead rose up, I don’t think I’ve tasted anything this delicious. Part of me wants to feel embarrassed that Reed is feeding me, but I can’t. Something about him feeding me shouldn’t be sexual, but that doesn’t stop my dick from pulsing.

My eyes drift close as I swallow spoonful after spoonful. It’s not until I’m halfway through that I know I need to ask more questions instead of just letting him get away with a stupid simple answer.

When he brings another spoonful towards me, I shake my head.

“How long have I been here?”

Reed eyes me for a moment before placing the spoon and bowl onto the side table. He grabs the two white pills and water before holding them out to me.

“Take these.”

“What are they?” I ask, eyeing the pills.

“Pain meds.”

“Again, what are they?”

“Oxycodone.”

My head jerks back, confused on how he would get anything like this in this world.

“Uh, how did…” I trail off.

“Must you ask so many questions?”

“Yes. I’m known for it. Now answer me, where in the world would you get those?”

Reed blinks slowly, and I imagine he’s clenching his jaw. But since I can’t see his face anymore, I can’t know for sure.

“It’s a long story,” he mutters. Reed holds out the pills once more, waiting for me to take them.

“It seems like we have some time, so get to explaining. Please. ”

Reed doesn’t say anything. Not that I expect him to. Reed’s a closed door, hot and cold. I don’t understand him. His gaze on me has me growing self-conscious. My heart beats so hard that I swear I’m going to throw up everything I just ate.

He remains silent, placing the pills down on the side table. Darkness seeps through the walls, everything closing in. I watch Reed stand from the side of the bed and grab the tray.

“Take the pills or don’t.”

And with that he turns around and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

I ended up taking the pain meds, and it wasn’t long after that I fell back asleep. By the time I woke up again, the sun was setting through the blinds. My body is stiff from falling asleep sitting up; I roll my neck to try and ease some of the tension.

I lie still for a long time, staring at the ceiling, trying to hear any movement outside the room.

It’s not until I take a deep breath that I catch a stench of something awful. I cringe, realizing it’s coming from me. I can’t even remember the last time I took a shower, let alone brushed my teeth.

Disgust rams into me. I can’t lie here any longer.

I gingerly swing one leg over the edge of the mattress. Pain travels from my left shoulder down to my toes. Sitting there for a minute, I catch my breath before doing the same with my other leg. With my feet planted on the hardwood floor, I stand, feeling a little uneasy. The pain was relentless, a searing throb that pulsed through my left side.

One step at a time, I make my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I flick the lights on and close the door behind me. Gritting my teeth, I slowly remove the sling around my left arm—or try to. The moment I pull on the fabric, agony shoots up my neck and down my entire left side. A sharp hiss escapes from my mouth, willing myself not to crumble.

My vision swarms, white dots invading my vision.

“What are you doing?” Reed growls from behind me. I hadn’t even noticed the door open, but there he stands.

“Uh.” I feel like a little kid being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. I want to state the obvious. But I keep my mouth shut, unsure about his mood. I know I’ve already been pushing my luck. I don’t need him kicking me out, yet, anyways.

“Noah.” Reed snaps.

“Well, you see, I was—I need to shower,” I start, unable to look at him. “I sort of took a deep breath and realized how bad I smelled. And well, I’m—you have running water here, right?” Realizing I had no idea if this place even had running water. It’s probably something I should have thought about before dragging my ass in here.

“It does.”

Another simple answer. One that I should be fine with, but somehow I’m not. I want him to talk more.

“Okay, well, great.” My lips formed into a line, not sure what else there was to say. “Well, I’m going to shower, so if you don’t mind…”

“You can’t get your shoulder wet.”

I nod. “Got it.”

While that might make things a little difficult, I’m sure I can still work around it. Somehow.

“Let me help.”

“What?” My eyes snap up to his. I expected the corner of his eyes to be creased, showing some sort of sign that he’s joking. But I don’t see any, not even the smallest hint that he might be joking.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

I swear the moment those words leave his mouth, I’ve died and gone to heaven. Because there is no way in hell I’m getting naked and in the shower. Not in front of Reed, and sure as hell not with his help.