His Forever 2-His girlfriend

9

Drey.

The drive back to New York was done in heart-wrenching silence, one heavier than it had been when on our way to Eddison. And sometime during the long drive, Alisa fell asleep. I took a chance to remind myself how beautiful she was as her head fell to the side, slow, soft breaths flowing through her lungs. It was the most peaceful I had seen her in hours since her father had that seizure. She was delicate yet so strong and even though I did not have the best relationship with my family, I knew it was something no one should ever have to go through.

I wanted more than anything to know what Alisa was thinking but knew better than to bug her about it now. The last thing she needed was to be questioned, not after finding out her father barely had six months left to walk the earth. I could at least show her that I was here for her without words.

Her small delicate hands felt warm as I closed mine over it, pressing softly. She shifted slowly in her seat and released a soft sigh as her head swiveled to me. Her full eyelashes fluttered drowsily, brown eyes weighed with emotion staring back at me.

"I didn't mean to wake you," I said softly but did not take my hand back.

Sitting up, she stifled a yawn, "No I'm sorry, I fell asleep..."

"Don't apologize, baby," I stopped her before she could finish the statement. I hated that we were now back at the start again. With all the formalities and needless apologies. I did not want Alisa's apologies, what I wanted was for her to feel comfortable falling ng asleep next to me without feeling the need to be sorry. "besides I know you needed some rest."

"Thanks," she said with a slow smile just before her eyes widened, "did I drool?"

In a failed attempt to hold back my amusement, a grin broke out on my face, "It's okay I didn't mind."

Horror painted her face, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson as she clamped her mouth in a gasp. "Oh my God, I did,"

"I didn't say you did," I chuckled, even though I meant what I said that I wouldn't have minded.

Ignoring my amusement, she reached for her phone holding it up to her face. After confirming that she didn't she turned to me with both relief and amusement, "Jerk,"

Alisa's laughter managed to raise some of the worry weighing on my heart but I quickly realized it was only a facade as her eyes started to water again. Our eyes met for a brief moment and beyond the tears, I could see confusion and despair overtake her sadness.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as a tear leaked. Wiping her eyes, she turned her head, looking back out the window again.

I felt a little jab at my heart that after all she had gone through today, she still felt the need to hide her tears from me. "Alisa," her name was a prayer on my lips as I took her hand in mine again, this time in a firmer hold.

"It just hurt so much," the words spilled free and even though she was still not looking t me, I could feel the sadness she felt too. "I don't have the right to be laughing, to be happy, not when every second that passes brings dad closer to his death."

She spoke with that familiar undertone, one I recognized too well. Guilt. But I was not about to allow her to take responsibility for this too. Without thinking, I threw the Veyron into auto-drive and reached for her. "Look at me." this time my command got her attention faster than softly spoken words had. "You are not going to blame yourself for this too."

"That's easier said than done," she whispered, keeping her eyes low.

With one hand on her chin, I made sure she met my eyes as I spoke, "No it's not. I know what your dad means to you, but you have nothing to do with him dying, for christ's sake you do not control life and death, Alisa."

"But..."

"No buts. I'm not about to let you go blaming yourself for this too, I will not let you do that to yourself." With my free hand, I held her face, caressing my palm down her cheeks. The tears had evaporated so I knew the flush on her cheeks had to do with something else. And from the way she shivered at my touch, I knew just what. "whatever is going on with your dad, we'll figure it out together."

"Together," she echoed, although it sounded more like a question. Like she could not believe I was going to get involved with it.

I did not tell her yet that I planned to invest my time from now figuring ways to help her dad out of this illness. A part of me believed there was hope still. Maybe it was the perk of having everything in my life for a price, of growing up to believe everything could be gotten for the right price.

It was one of the few times, I did not feel so bad about having more money than I knew what to do with, because I had already decided to invest every last dime on figuring how to save Frank Emmerson. If it would bring that smile back on Alisa's face, God I would.

"We might still have a mountain of issues to go through Alisa, but do you really think I was going to let you go through this alone? You can push me away all you want, but I'm not leaving."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and she bit down on her bottom lip, trying to hold them back. My c**k jerked painfully at the sight, and my thoughts shot uncontrollably to all the things I wanted to do to that mouth again and more importantly how much I ached to kiss her right now. It took some self-restraint to remind myself that this was not the time to be thinking about f*****g her, though that thought took most of my brain ninety percent of the time I was with Alisa.

"Why are you still nice to me, I was practically a b***h to you in the hallway today," a beat of shame accompanied her words. Uncalled for because around me, Alisa was not allowed to feel any shame.

"First off, that is not a term I ever want you to use on yourself beautiful. Do you understand?" I asked sternly.

"Yes sir," she murmured, instinctively slipping into that good girl I knew two months ago.

"Secondly, you were only venting at the hallway, I could never hold that against you. And third..." I trailed off as her teeth caught her bottom lip again.

"Third?" she inquired, her body angling itself towards me.

My balls tightened at how receptive her body was to my hands on her, even though she had not even realized it yet. Mentally, I reminded myself again that now was not the time. Not yet. "Third, I'm not being nice to you. Nice is what I would be to a stranger," I did not bother to add that I did not give a f**k about strangers, much less bother to be nice to them.

Then why?" she asked, even though her eyes made it clear she knew the answer to that question.

And the answer was as simple as three little words I never thought I would say to anyone even once. Yet I found myself saying it countless times to this woman who had now become my entire f*****g reason for existing. "because I love you."