Chapter 226

Archer rushes out of the room to find the doctors.

I quickly return to Neil’s side. “Are you sure you are healthy enough for this? You only just woke up? She we wait to make certain you are well?”

Neil’s face softens as he looks at me. He gives me a small, comforting smile. “I’ll be okay, Chloe. I promise.”

“But, Neil…” I am afraid to lose him again, so soon after I just found him.

“Come here,” he says, and holds out one arm.

It’s a little embarrassing, cuddling with Neil in front of his brothers, but when a man who was so close to death wants to have a snuggle, I’m not strong enough to say no. Especially when that man is Neil.

I crawl up onto the bed, slanting myself into the narrow open space beside Neil. His arms close around me, holding me secure.

By now, Archer has left the room. Beau and Steven are standing near the door talking quietly to each other. I imagine they are giving Neil and I what measure of privacy they can.

I am deeply grateful to them.

Neil turns into me. He kisses me softly on the tip of my nose, then presses his lips to mine again. He’s not as desperate this time. This kiss is as gentle as the first one I gave him when he was here asleep on the bed.

When he pulls back, he doesn’t go far. He looks deep into my eyes, like he can see down into my soul.

“I thought I was dreaming you before,” Neil says. “When you were kissing me, I… I didn’t think you’d actually be here.”

I tense slightly. Archer speculated that Steven’s invitation and my arrival might undermine Neil’s sacrifice. I hadn’t cared much at the time, concerned more with Neil’s well-being than what my presence could mean otherwise.

But now, with Neil awake, the question creeps into the forefront of my mind. What would Neil think?

What does Neil think?

Is he upset that I’m here? Is he mad that I disobeyed his orders to stay away?

He sure doesn’t seem upset with how he’s looking at me now. His eyes are practically sparkling with joy, even though he’s about to go into surgery. He must be in so much pain, but he’s not showing any of it.

“I thought I’d died,” Neil continues, and my heart seizes up. “And kissing you was part of the afterlife.”

“Neil…” I don’t know what to say to that. There’s no way he actually means those words. It sounds so romantic, like something a lover would whisper. Last time I spoke with Neil, his voice was flat and robotic as he commanded that I leave the Pyramid. He told me I wasn’t welcome back.

“Knowing you are here, Chloe,” he continues. “It gives me the strength I need to survive this. When I come back, I want another kiss. I want to kiss you without it hurting you this time.”

I thought I had done a good job of hiding the sting of the silver poison in his saliva, but apparently and perhaps unsurprisingly, Neil saw straight through me.

Neil squeezes me closer, and I hold him in return.

When the doctors come to prepare Neil for surgery, he kisses me again, slipping in a dash of tongue this time. Then we have to separate. I crawl out of the bed.

Neil continues to hold my hand until the last possible moment. When the nurses wheel him away for surgery, our hands drift apart.

Archer, Beau, Steven, and I walk out into the waiting room once more, where we sit, and glance at each other and the clock. And we wait.

In the silence of the waiting area, my mind begins to wander and my worries return. I’m worried for Neil’s health primarily, and praying that the surgery goes well. Yet under that fear is another: what is going to happen next?

I’ve broken all the rules by coming to the hospital and interacting with the brothers. I’ve basically shattered whatever plan they had in place to protect me.

Will they amend the plan?

Will they send me away again? Will they make a show of it, like they did last time? Make a huge scene to convince everyone that they somehow hate me?

Or… has this turned the corner for them? Maybe they can make changes so that we don’t have to separate after all. That would be my ideal. I don’t want to be parted from them. They’ve become an integral part of my life.

Everything is too quiet without them.

Maybe, since I helped wake Neil up, they will turn over a new leaf and –

“You should just go home right now,” Archer says, voice sharp and curt. He’s looking right at me, ice in his eyes. “Neil will be fine.”

Well, so much for my dream of them letting me stay in their lives. I guess they really are going to keep up the act that they hate me. How annoying.

“Lighten up, Archie,” Beau says. He stretches in his chair. His shirt rides up, showing a hint of his toned abdomen. I pretend not to notice, subtly glancing away. It’s neither the time nor place to be noticing that, or to be thinking about how we spent most of last evening in each other’s arms.

Archer shoots his brother a glare. “This changes nothing. Chloe is still not welcome in our home or our lives.”

Beau sighs but doesn’t fight for me. Steven, staring the other direction, is either not listening or simply doesn’t want to get involved.

I can’t blame them exactly. This was always their plan, and they all agreed to it.

But it would be real nice if someone spoke up in my defense, instead of just me.

When no one does, I guess I’m on my own.

“I’m not going anywhere until Neil is back from surgery,” I say, keeping my voice level and firm. I’m aiming for a no-nonsense kind of tone. Something that says, I’m not backing down from this. “I need to make sure he’s okay. After that, if you still want me to disappear, I will.”

I look at each brother in turn. When I meet Beau’s eyes, he quickly lowers his gaze away, unable to hold mine. Steven glances at me in sadness. Archer just looks pissed.

“No one needs you here,” Archer growls.

“I need me here,” I snap. “And so does Neil. He told me that knowing I’m here gives him strength. You think I’m going to bail before he comes back? Get fucked.”

Archer narrows his eyes.

But I don’t care. Let him have all the temper tantrums he wants, it’s not going to change a damn thing. I’m here for Neil, not for Archer. Not for anyone else.

And until I know the surgery went well and Neil was safe, I am going to fight tooth and nail to stay right where I am.

I know Archer. I know most of his anger right now is borne from his own worry as well as his frustration to be unable to control this situation, but that doesn’t mean I have to put up with his bullshit.

Archer and I glare at each other. Eventually, he sighs and glances away.

Victory swells inside of me. I’ve won this argument.

Now I just need Neil to be okay.