Chapter 0246

Cole Harrington

As I held Nicola's hair back, feeling the warmth of her trembling shoulders as she cried and heaved in turns, my heart ached for her. She leaned into my chest as if she couldn’t keep herself up anymore, her face flushed and exhausted. I’d never seen her look so vulnerable, and it only made me want to shield her more.

“Nicola, just tell me when you’re done, okay?” I murmured, trying to soothe her as best as I could. "I'll carry you to bed, and you can rest a little or sleep for a few hours.”

Her face twisted in a mix of frustration and exhaustion. "I’m covered in puke, Cole… this is so gross,” she choked out, tears spilling over as she buried her face in her hands.

I smoothed her hair and smiled, trying to keep her calm. “Hey, hey… do you want to shower first? I can run a nice hot bath for you.” She looked up at me, a fragile, helpless nod, her eyes puffy and red. It was like looking at a child who'd been through too much.

I kept a hand on her back as I stood and turned