“What’s going on?” I managed to bite out. I was riled up and angry now. My boy had better be on his way home, safe and sound.
“Cove never showed up for his therapy appointment, and he’s not answering the phone. I’m a bit worried about him. Have you spoken to him today?”
I shook my head, my mind reeling. “He was asleep when I left for work—I—shit,” I cursed. “I’ll go check on him. He was supposed to work today, and I just now remembered. He was supposed to come see you on his lunch break, right?” I asked, quickly drying my hands and heading to the office.
“Yes. Please call me once you’ve checked on him, and if at all possible, I’d still like to see him today. I can stay later if I need to.”
“I’ll get him in,” I promised her before I hung up the phone.
Baby boy, please be okay. You promised. You gave me your word that you’d let me know if you didn’t feel safe.
I barged into my boss’s office without knocking, my heart hammering in my chest. “I need a ride home. My boyfriend—he—” Fuck, I couldn’t take the bus. If I took the bus, I might be too late.
“Easy, kid,” Frank said, quickly moving to his feet. He grabbed a set of keys off the wall. “Take a deep breath. Come on. Let’s go check on him. I’m sure he’s fine.”
I shook my head, feeling lost. I hated not knowing if he was okay. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly dialed his number as I followed Frank out to his truck, but it just rang and rang before going to voicemail. Dread curled in my stomach. I quickly hit redial three more times, but all three times, it still just rang over and over before going to voicemail.
I was pretty sure I was going to be sick.
“Alright, kid. You’re freaking me out. Do you have someone you can call to check on him until we get there?”
I shook my head, not sure if my mouth could work to form words yet. I tried Cove’s number again, and again, I just got the same thing. But I never gave up.
When we made it to the apartment building, I rushed out a thank you and lurched from the truck, rushing up the stairs, not even bothering with the elevator. I made it in half the time and barged into our apartment, rushing into the bedroom.
I almost fell to my knees in relief.
He was in the middle of the bed, burrowed beneath the blankets, the room completely dark.
“Cove?” I rasped.
A whimper met my ears. I swallowed thickly and stripped off my coveralls, toeing off my boots in the process. Then, I made my way to the edge of the bed, pausing for a moment. “Can I come in, baby boy?” If he was under the blankets, he was seeking his safe space, and I wouldn’t intrude on that without his permission.
A moment later, the blanket shifted a little bit where his head was. I was pretty sure that was a head nod.
I crawled under the blankets with him even though it felt like a fucking sauna and wrapped him up in my arms, peppering kisses all over his face. “Heather called. You missed your appointment, baby, and you didn’t go to work.” I ran my hand over his back. “Want to talk to me about it?”
He sniffled and burrowed his face against my chest, tucking his leg between mine. I crushed him to me, knowing he needed the contact without him ever saying a word. “It’s just a bad day,” he whispered.
I pressed my lips to the top of his head. “You should have called me, baby. I was so fucking worried. I think I called thirty times on my way here. I thought something happened.”
His tears began to wet my chest. I clutched him to me even more, eliminating any space between us. It was like his skin melted into mine, we were so close. “I’m sorry,” he croaked. “I didn’t mean?—”
“Easy, baby.” I tilted his chin up and softly kissed him until his tears calmed some. I brushed my hand over his sweaty hair. “How about we get a shower, and then I take you to see Heather, hmm?”
He nodded. I eased the blanket back, relieved to be out of the suffocating heat, and then slid to the edge of the bed before turning and scooping him off the mattress, carrying him to the bathroom. My heart stopped at the sight of the razor blade on the sink. My hold on him tightened to the point I knew it had to be hurting him. Instead, he clutched at me just as tightly, burrowing his face in the curve of my neck where it met my shoulder.
“I kept my promise,” he croaked. “I didn’t—I didn’t hurt myself, Langston. I promised you I wouldn’t be unsafe again.”
“God, baby boy,” I rasped. I gently set him on his feet and then grasped his face in my hands, pressing our lips together. “I would lose my fucking mind if I lost you. You’d bring me to my damn knees, and I’d never be able to get up again if you hurt yourself. You are everything to me, Cove. Everything. Do you understand the depth of those words?”
His lips trembled as he nodded his head. I kissed him again, grasping two fistfuls of his hair and yanking his head back so I could devour him. I needed to inhale all the parts of him that hurt and give him all the best parts of me so he’d be whole again.
“I love you, baby boy. My world begins and ends with you. Please don’t ever take yourself from me,” I begged him.
He hiccuped, his tears running down his pretty face again. “I love you, too, Langston.”
I swiped my thumbs over his cheeks. “Thank you for not hurting yourself.” I smiled softly at him. “That was such a brave choice, Cove, and I’m so, so, so fucking proud of you for being strong enough to say no to that urge.”
