Catalyst (Connectivity Book 2) Read online

  When Susan arrived, she looked worried but held it together. She spoke softly to Jersey and then Brian. Jersey said he was probably fine to walk out to the truck, and he grimaced as he climbed off Travis’s lap. Travis wrapped his arm around Jersey’s middle and guided him out to the front yard. Jersey put up a mild protest when his mom tried to get him in her car and she reluctantly gave in and submitted to Jersey’s wish to drive over with Travis instead. With directions and well-wishes from everyone, Travis loaded Jersey into his truck and then flew around to the driver side and climbed in. Jake ran up then waving Travis’s shirt and once the item was shoved inside his door, they pulled away and headed to the Urgent Care.

  The next hour was spent waiting around and having Jersey questioned like he was a suspect of some crime. Travis hated it. He just wanted to sequester Jersey away and keep him to himself. He needed time with his man and his fragile heart still thumped painfully any time he thought about it too much or replayed Jersey’s fall in his mind.

  In the end, the thing he was most grateful for was the prescription slip the PA handed Jersey for some pain meds. X-rays confirmed that Jersey had fractured his ulna when he’d hit it against the guiding edge of the ramp. He also had a concussion. They were given a brace and sling for Jersey’s arm and told to ice the area several times a day. Susan was instructed on how to handle Jersey’s concussion, but no way was Travis going to be leaving his side anytime soon, so he listened intently to the instructions as well. Susan set up an appointment for Jersey to get his hard cast and they were unceremoniously sent on their way.

  Travis called his mom on his way back to Jersey’s house and explained what had happened and that, if he was allowed, he’d be staying the night with Jersey. His mom voiced her concern for Jersey and said that she’d have Jasmine pack a bag for him and bring it over.

  The rain had finally stopped and the clouds were clearing slightly, and even though it had rained for the last several hours, it was still summertime and would be warming up once the sun was back out. But, Travis couldn’t help the shiver that ran through him as he climbed out of his truck once he’d parked in front of Jersey’s house. His adrenaline was crashing and he was stressed, cold, and still wet from their time moving, not to mention, physically fatigued from all the heavy lifting he’d been doing all day. He wanted to get Jersey inside, get him warm, and then pass out until tomorrow.

  “How are you doing, babe?” he asked softly, guiding Jersey from the truck. Jersey made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat. Susan had taken the prescription to be filled and Travis hoped there would be some ibuprofen or something Jersey could take while they waited for something stronger to arrive.

  Herald and Barbie were hovering near the front door as they approached the steps.

  “Hey, guys,” Jersey greeted although his voice sounded wrecked and tired.

  “Oh, Jersey,” Barbie gushed quietly and both his grandparents tentatively hugged him as they made their way inside. “Travis, why don’t you get him settled upstairs and let me handle the rest. I’ll bring you guys whatever you need, you just take care of my grandson.” She squeezed him on his shoulder and Herald nodded along, looking worried over Jersey’s quiet demeanor.

  “Thanks, you guys. My sister is going to be stopping by with a bag for me,” he told them and they nodded then left to head off to do whatever they were going to do.

  Travis supported Jersey up the stairs and down the hall. He closed the door softly behind them as Jersey went to his bed and sat on the edge. Travis went over and knelt at his feet. He rested his hands on Jersey’s knees and pressed his forehead against the back of his right hand. Jersey placed his left hand on the back of Travis’s head, and he felt the prick of tears in his eyes. He needed to keep his shit together for a little while longer, and once Jersey was sleeping and safe and warm and snuggled into his side, he could finally fall apart. But, in the meantime, he squeezed his eyes shut and straightened up, then removed Jersey’s shoes and socks. He lay Jersey back on the bed and then gently unbuttoned and removed his wet jeans. Even though Susan had brought him a change of clothes, he’d never gotten the chance to get them on; Travis was more than fine helping him get it done now. Anything he could do to reassure himself that Jersey was fine, he’d do. And if that meant keeping himself busy by tending to Jersey’s needs, and touching him constantly, then he was totally on board with it.

  Once Jersey’s pants were off, his briefs followed, and even though Travis would normally have loved to make use of the fact that his boyfriend was completely exposed to him, seeing the blossoming bruises along his thighs and a bit on his abdomen where his sweatshirt had ridden up, made Travis’s dick shrivel up and his heart ache. His poor baby was a mess.

  Jersey had his eyes closed and Travis suspected he was already on the verge of sleep, so he quickly snatched some fresh briefs and lounge pants from Jersey’s drawer and returned to get him covered. Once the briefs were in place, Travis couldn’t help but places a few tender kisses along the bruised flesh marring Jersey’s body. He didn’t know what had been inside the box Jersey had been carrying out of the moving truck but whatever it had been, it had been heavy enough to do some decent damage to his boy’s petite frame.

  Jersey murmured something softly and Travis tried to steady his hands as he pulled the lounge pants up Jersey’s legs. Liam’s sweatshirt came next and he helped Jersey sit up as they unfastened the sling and Travis grabbed a clean shirt and drew it over Jersey’s head. His normally gorgeous hair looked bedraggled, but Travis ignored it and refastened the sling around Jersey’s neck.

  Shuffling to his feet, Jersey stepped aside as Travis drew back the bed covers and then helped him settle back in and tenderly tucked the covers around him.

  Travis would be joining his boy right there in minutes.

  He kissed Jersey’s forehead and cupped his cheek softly, lingering there. “Be right back,” he said softly and even though his heart squeezed and thumped its protest, he left Jersey’s side and went to the bathroom to rummage around for some pain meds. He returned with four ibuprofen and a glass of water. “Let’s get these in you and then you can sleep, babe.”

  Jersey allowed the help in getting himself up and then dutifully swallowed the pills. Travis helped him settle back down and then stared at his boyfriend as sleep claimed him and he passed out.

  Travis closed his eyes. The last few hours would be burned into his memory forever. Watching the man he loved slip and fall like that had scared him in a way nothing else ever had. He’d felt terror rip through him at hearing Jersey’s wail and the impact of his head hitting the metal ramp, then absolute panic as he’d realized that Jersey hadn’t been moving, and finally bone-deep relief as Jersey had groaned and fluttered his eyelids open. Adrenaline had kept Travis strong, but that was long gone and he felt himself start to tremble.

  He quickly shed his shoes and socks, then dropped everything except his underwear. He still had the presence of mind, however, to gather their clothes into a bundle and drop them on the bathroom floor. When he returned to the bedside, he pulled back the blanket on the other side of Jersey and carefully inserted himself into Jersey’s space, sliding his arm under his head. He arranged their covers more snuggly around them and then rested his hand on Jersey’s warm hip. He was still trembling but the warm cocoon of blankets surrounding them, and Jersey’s presence and warmth, helped ease his mind and settle his soul. Jersey was safe and Travis would take care of him.

  Before he even had time to fall apart or have the conscious thought that he was falling asleep, he was gone.

  -XIV-

  Jersey groaned and Travis’s eyes flew open. It was still fairly dark out, but he immediately sought out Jersey’s face, looking for any distress, and smoothed the hair off his forehead, tucking it behind his ear. He sighed when he realized Jersey was just waking up.

  “Need to pee,” Jersey mumbled sleepily. “I hate sleeping on my back. My head hurts. My ass hurts. My arm hurts. I’m thirsty
. And hungry,” he paused for a moment as a yawn overtook him. “Travis?”

  “Yeah, babe?” Travis responded, smothering a chuckle at Jersey’s long list of complaints. He had to be feeling pretty damn miserable.

  “Thank you for staying,” Jersey said sincerely, looking back at him with the same look he’d seen on his face only a few times before. Was it too much to hope that Travis might finally realize what promises that look held?

  Travis smiled softly, hoping his own expression showed the words he thought he might be soon ready to give voice to. “Baby, there was literally no way I could leave you last night. I stayed just as much for me, as I did for you. I was so fucking scared yesterday. I kept picturing you falling and laying there, not moving. I thought my heart was going to explode when you hit the ground.” He closed his eyes for a moment, trying not to get lost in the memory. Travis cupped Jersey’s cheek and gently ran his thumb back and forth along his cheekbone. “It was all I could do not to smother you just to reassure myself that you were really fine. I would never have been able to leave you yesterday. But, you’re welcome. You’re mine, remember? And I’m going to take care of you. I’m going to call into work and stay with you today. It’s too soon to even think about not being with you.” He pressed a kiss to Jersey’s lips. “How about we get you up and to the bathroom? Then we’ll drug you and feed you. Sound good?” he asked into Jersey’s hair as he hugged him close in a loose hold.

  “Sounds good,” Jersey murmured softly and pressed a kiss to Travis’s neck.

  He got out on his side and came around to help Jersey sit up. Jersey grimaced as he moved and when he was finally on his feet, Travis was there if he needed any support.

  “God, my whole body aches. I feel like I was run over, twice.” Jersey swiped his left hand through his crazy hair and groaned when he realized the state of it. He’d spent yesterday moving in the rain, then after everything had happened with his injuries, he’d crashed with wet hair. Yeah, it looked a bit…

  “I’m sorry, babe. I know you have to be miserable. The first day is always the worst. I can carry you if want?” Travis offered, completely serious. He’d do whatever he could to help Jersey through these first few days.

  Jersey laughed a little, then, “Please don’t make me laugh,” he groaned. “My head is pounding so bad.”

  “Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry. Let’s get you into the bathroom.” Travis walked with Jersey but paused when he looked over by the door. “Hang on, I think your mom dropped off your prescription.” Sure enough, there was a small bottle of pills inside the classic white paper bag. “I’ll figure out your dosage while you take care of business. Unless you need help?” He winked when Jersey looked at him. Jersey smiled back and Travis’s heart fluttered. Even in the state Jersey was in, all he had to do was look at Travis and Travis’s body knew what it wanted. Perhaps it had known from the very beginning. It had just been his mind that’d needed to catch up.

  “Um, Trav?” Jersey said, from where he stood in front of the toilet. Travis looked over. “Maybe I do need help?”

  Travis laughed softly. “Sure you do, babe. I’m surprised you can even get hard with all your body’s going through.”

  Jersey smiled again. “I think that might be the only thing that doesn’t hurt right now. Although, if you leave it unattended…” Jersey trailed off and Travis laughed again. “You wouldn’t want me to be aching, would you? You said you were going to take care of me.”

  “Very smooth, Casanova. I don’t know if it’s a good idea with you being so banged up, but I would never want you to suffer. Pills first, though. That’s non-negotiable.”

  Jersey grinned, then took care of business, awkwardly, with his left hand. It was going to be a difficult few weeks ahead as he adjusted to using his left hand for everything.

  Travis mentally realized Jersey was going to be heading off to college with his cast still on. He hated that new little nugget that’d lodged inside his head, but he’d just have to be there for his man the best he could to help him move his things and settle into his new place. The thought of Jersey leaving made Travis’s guts twist. He was quickly realizing just what Jersey meant to him, and being without him, just seemed unfathomable.

  He tried to shake off the depressing thoughts. Jersey needed him here and now, and he’d do his best to be present for his man.

  Jersey flushed and Travis handed him the pills he needed to take, but he groaned when he caught a glance of his reflection in the mirror. Travis just kissed him on the forehead and steered him into the bedroom. It was only then that he realized all their clothes from yesterday were washed and folded in a stack on the table in the corner. But more than the laundry, or the bag from his sister, Travis noticed a tray of food. He went over and motioned for Jersey to join him.

  “Looks like your grandma brought us some food.” There was a bowl of cut-up melon pieces, a few slices of some kind of blueberry cake, and a plate of cookies.

  Jersey snuggled into his side. “She made cookies. Those are my favorite.” He moved over and grabbed a cookie then handed it to Travis. “Try one.”

  Travis took it but set it back down, giving Jersey a look. “Later. I have something else to tend to first,” and he carefully pulled Jersey to him. Jersey melted into his kiss and a while later when they finally did get around to enjoying the cookies, Travis was pleased to see his man looking so relaxed and happy.

  “I'm going to head downstairs to get you some ice, okay? We probably should have iced your arm before bed last night, but I know we were both exhausted. Stay here and I'll be right back.” Travis kissed him sweetly, then headed for the door.

  As he headed down the hallway, a strange feeling crept into his chest. The sensation reminded him of the first moment he'd seen Jersey. Sort of like déjà vu but not. It was stronger than it had been that first time; more like a weird swoopy swirl, and it made him anxious. Maybe he was still so worried about Jersey, that leaving him caused Travis to relive the feelings of Jersey’s accident. Travis hadn’t seen or experienced many moments like that in his life, especially for someone he cared so much about, so those feelings were bound to stick around for a while. He figured that was probably the best answer he could come up with and continued on, quietly making his way to the kitchen.

  With the ice zipped away in a baggie, Travis opened Jersey’s bedroom door and closed it again quietly. Jersey had fallen asleep again. Travis couldn’t blame him. His body and brain were going to need lots of time to heal. But as he approached, Jersey’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up as Travis stood next to the bed.

  “You can go back to sleep if you want. I know you need your rest and your medicine is probably making you sleepy. I’ll just set a towel under your arm and take the ice off after a while,” Travis said softly as Jersey sat up with a quizzical look on his face.

  “But I’m not sleepy,” Jersey said as he scrunched his brow. “I don’t even remember falling asleep. I was just sitting here when you left and was going to check my phone, but then I got so tired all of a sudden, I just had to lay back down.” He stared at Travis. “Then you were back.”

  “Well, maybe you were just more tired than you thought. I know I could probably sleep again. It’s still kinda early,” Travis responded and jiggled the baggie of ice he held. “Let me just grab a towel and we can rest with a movie on or something.” Jersey nodded but still looked confused. Travis went into the bathroom and grabbed up a towel, feeling a small flutter in his stomach. When he returned, Jersey had his head back down. Travis had only been gone for a few seconds… He scrunched his brow in wonder.

  Jersey lifted his head but didn’t sit up. “Why am I so sleepy?” Jersey asked. “I just keep falling asleep. I don’t even feel tired. My head feels kinda weird too. Do you think it’s the medicine?”

  “I don’t know, babe. What does your head feel like?” Travis asked, going over to Jersey. He draped the towel over Jersey’s lap and waist then helped him remove his sling and brace. He folded on
e end of the towel over Jersey’s arm then set the ice softly on top.

  Jersey shrugged his left shoulder. “I don’t know. Kinda weird. Like fuzzy or something. It feels better now, though.” Jersey cocked his head to one side. “Weird.”

  Travis had to agree. “So your head doesn’t feel fuzzy anymore, but you’re falling asleep even when you’re not sleepy?” Jersey nodded and patted the bed for Travis to join him. He climbed in carefully and situated himself with some pillows right next to Jersey. For some reason, he just needed to be close to his man, to reassure himself Jersey was actually fine. “I guess we’re both a little off after everything that’s happened. Let’s just rest and see how things feel after a while.”

  Jersey looked at him. “What do you mean, ‘we’re both a little off’?. What’s wrong with you?”

  “I don’t know. I think I’m still just holding onto yesterday’s anxiety over seeing you fall and all your injuries and stuff. I got all weird when I left you to go get the ice.”

  “What weird?”

  “I don’t know. Like, weird.” Travis shrugged. “Like, I didn’t want to leave. I’ve actually had a feeling like that before, but it was never as strong as just now. It feels sorta like déjà vu, but with a swoopy, swirly feel.”

  “You have? When?” Jersey asked with his brow scrunched again and his head cocked to one side.

  Travis smiled softly back at his boyfriend. “The very first time I ever saw you.”

  Jersey’s face softened immediately. “Aww, babe. That’s so sweet.” He leaned in to press a kiss to Travis’s lips.

  Travis smiled. “It’s sweet that I got a weird swoopy, swirly, didn’t-want-to-leave-you, anxious feeling?”

  “Would it be bad if I said yes?”

  Travis laughed at that. “I guess not. How come you don’t get all anxious and swoopy when I leave, huh? All you do is fall asleep,” Travis snickered, but he watched as Jersey literally froze. One second he had a sweet and playful look on his face and the next, his face blanked and he froze. “Babe? What happened? I was just teasing.”