Chapter 168
Ciel
The second the Baron leaves, they both come in.
Nolan wraps his arms around me, and I break into loud cries.
Not quiet tears. Not dignified sniffles. Ugly, heaving sobs that shake my whole body and make my chest ache and my throat burn.
"I've got you," Nolan murmurs against my hair. "I've got you. You're okay."
I'm not okay.
Jack's hand is on my back, warm and steady. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't need to. He just stands there, a solid presence beside me, while I fall apart in Nolan's arms.
I don't know how long I cry. Minutes. Hours. Time doesn't feel real anymore.
But eventually, the sobs fade to hiccups, and the hiccups fade to silence, and my body gives up entirely.
I fall asleep.
*
When I wake up, I feel soft cotton pads on my face.
I blink. The room is dim. Someone has drawn the curtains. Someone has tucked a blanket around me. Someone has placed cool cloths over my eyes.
I remove them and sit up.
