My lips right at her pulse.
Feeling it beat against them... I started to slowly calm.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight.
Then I carried her to my truck.
“I need to check on that car,” she told me.
I shook my head, “Two of my brothers have it. I’m getting you home.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
I got her in my truck and made sure the vents were blowing directly on her to keep her warm, then I buckled her up and shut the door.
I caught Clip and Tank’s gaze as they checked on the smaller SUV and gave them chin lifts.
They returned the gesture.
I climbed in and put the truck into drive, then rested my hand on her thigh and drove her home.
Neither of us said a word.
Not when I parked outside of her apartment building.
Not when I turned the truck off.
Not when I carried her into the building, into the elevator, and to her front door.
Not when I carefully maneuvered her so I could reach into my pocket and pull out my set of keys.
Not when I unlocked her door, stepped through it, and closed it.
And not when I carried her to her bathroom and sat her on the counter.
“You’re sure you're not hurt?” I asked as I brushed the wet strands out of her face.
She shook her head.
I sighed, “Good. The best way to warm you up is with a shower.”
I started the shower, helped her undress, and then shed my own clothes and stepped into the shower with her.
She didn’t say anything else, nor did she take in my body.
After I had washed and dried her off, I carried her to the bed, turned down the covers, and laid her down gently.
Then I stalked to her medicine cabinet in the kitchen, grabbed the ibuprofen, shook out two pills, grabbed a bottle of water, and carried them to her.
I sat down on the side of the bed and helped her take them.
I brushed the strands out of her face again and started to run my fingers through them, working out the tangles.
“Alexander?” she asked.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“Help me make sure I’m alive,” she said.