“He’s in pain and not thinking. He’s talking of going somewhere else to live because he doesn’t want to be a burden. He’s pissed about everything. I’m worried he’ll do something stupid like try and move out.”

“Then we will stop him.”

“I’ve never seen him like this before. I mean, I can understand why he’s in a foul mood, but… I don’t know. I’m just worried.”

“We will not let him wallow. He will need us even through his moods.”

“He told me to get the fuck out, or else he was going to call someone to get him out of the house.”

I ground my teeth together. I knew West would regret everything he had said to Lucas. I did not like seeing him upset his friend, his family. I had to do something, and if it meant West would be angry with me and only me, then so be it.

“Go and eat. I will see to him.”

“But—”

“Lucas, do not worry.”

He kicked at the carpet. “I just don’t want you to see him in a mood and think he’s not worth it in the end.”

I rested a hand on his shoulder. “You are a good friend, but know this, nothing he says or does will have me feeling different about him. He is scared, in pain, and only has time to think. None of it will be good for him. With time, we will have our West back.”

Lucas sucked in a breath and nodded. “Okay. All right. I’ll go get something to eat.”

“Da.” I watched him leave the hallway and head for the kitchen before opening the door to West’s room.

“Leave,” West demanded.

“Nyet.”

“I don’t need you or Lucas hovering around me all the damn time.”

“That is too bad.”

He growled under his breath. “Just fucking leave. I don’t want you here. I never wanted you. It’s why I left in the first place.”

The words hurt a little, but I knew them not to be true. Not when Lucas had said otherwise.

“Is there anything you need?”

“No, get out!” he screamed and got to his elbows, but his face pinched from the pain, and he dropped back down. “I want to be alone. I don’t want to see you again. Go back to your life, Adrik.”

“I will be back in a moment,” I told him.

He groaned, and as I walked from the room to grab my bag, he yelled, “Don’t.”

Picking up my bag, I made my way back into West’s room and placed my bag beside me as I sat on the chair. West glared at me. “I want you to leave.”

Ignoring him, I bent, unzipped my bag, and pulled out a book. “I am on the second-last book. I thought I might read it to you.”