Page 13 of Point Proven
“Stefan isdangerous.”
“You know who else was dangerous? Andrew Valens, and we put a bullet through his fucking skull.Together.”
His fingers curled around my wrist, squeezing tightly. “Andrew Valens is nothing… compared to Stefan, Simon.Thatis what I mean…”
Mulling over his words for a few seconds, I exhaled. “Then, we go to Thorne and Oren with this, and if you want to, discuss anything that might help us defeat him. I believe you, but what other choice do we have but to fight? Either you allow me the opportunity willingly, or I storm into his place?—”
Breath hitching, panic threatened to overtake him once more. “N-No… No. No, no, no…”
Pressing my palm against his cheek, my gaze softened. “I, fuck, sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I won’t go in alone if you say he’s that dangerous. I believe you, so we’ll do this carefully, okay?”
“P-Promise me…” he mumbled. “Promise me you won’t act recklessly. Simon, Ican’tdo this life without you…”
I nodded, bringing his head to rest against my shoulder. “I promise. Besides, I would like to keep the good leg, you know?”
A soft chuckle left him as he shook his head. “I can’t stand you…”
“Me either. Quite literally without this thing.” Patting my prosthetic, I grinned. “Good thing I have you for balance.”
He laughed again, this time longer, my attempts to lighten the mood working. “God… Why do you have to make such morbid fucking jokes? Let’s go over to Thorne and Oren’s. To… To discuss this…?”
“Well, I didtechnicallyexplode?—”
Swatting at my chest, he sat upright. “Stop it.”
“Alright, alright. No meat confetti joke then, I’m assuming?”
A groan left him as he worked to push himself off the ground. “No.” Glancing at his vomit, a tremor rolled through his body again. “I-I’ll… uh, I’ll clean that up, and then we’ll go over. Maybe call one of them to let them know?”
Raising my hand, I held it out to him. “Help me up.”
Fingers curling around my palm, he hoisted me from the ground. Using that momentum, my palm greeted his chest as I gently shoved him to the bed.
Smiling at my success, I gestured to the stain on the floor. “No. I’ll clean it up and call. You go freshen up, okay?”
“Sai, I can help?—”
“No. Now take care of yourself. I’ve got this.”
He lifted a brow, offering me a challenging glance. “I thought that was your job? To take care of me?”
“I am, because if you think I’m allowing you to clean this up, or call after what occurred, you’re fucking mistaken. Now go, sunshine, before I force you into that bathroom.”
Blowing out a breath, the air caught a strand of his dirty-blonde hair. “Fine.”
“Good boy. Oh, and Liam?”
Having pushed himself from the bed and crossed the room, he looked over his shoulder. “Yes?”
“I love you.”
That was all it took for the darkness blanketing his expression to vanish, a soft smile replacing it. “I love you too, Simon.”
As his figure slipped into the bathroom, I focused on the mess at my feet. Gagging slightly, I raised my fist to my mouth to stifle it. I had agreed to clean it, but vomit… vomit made mepuke.
I would do anything for him, just like I would tear Stefan’s body apart with my bare hands, spool his intestines from his gut,and hang him from the fucking rafters for what he’d done tomyboyfriend.
And I would relish that accomplishment the moment it happened, because nothing,nothingwas more important to me than Liam.
