Paul's heart cracked open when he stepped over the threshold of Will's new apartment. The apartment he shared with his daughter.

And Sonny

Paul could feel Sonny all over the damn place. There were touches of Ari here and there, her artwork hanging from the fridge, an LOL doll every now and again. Nothing screamed Will. No sign Will lived there at all.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Marlena asked Will as she and Paul escorted him inside. John closed the door after them.

Marlena spent the car ride fawning over Will, checking his vitals, and wiping blood off his face.

"Dinner," Will mumbled, losing his footing a bit on an errant shoe. "Last night."

Marlena gave him a reproachful expression and helped get him to the couch.

"I'll get you something to eat," Marlena said.

She rummaged through the kitchen and frowned at the meager findings. There wasn't much to choose from at all.

"John, come with me," Marlena insisted. "Will, we'll be right back. Paul, get him cleaned up."

She turned to toward the door before spinning back around.

"Unless you'd rather get the food and I stay with him."

Marlena looked between Will and Paul with uncertainty.

"No," Paul shook his head but gave Marlena a small smile. "I'm not going anywhere."

He appreciated Marlena's concern but he wasn't leaving Will now. A day ago, an hour ago, he wanted nothing more than to forget Will Horton ever existed. Now, Paul wasn't letting Will out of his sight.

He didn't understand Will's rambling before they left the restaurant but he was going to find out. If there was even a glimmer of truth to what Will said, Paul had to know.

Once John and Marlena left, Paul kneeled in front of Will. He swiped his thumb over Will's left brow, one of the few blood-free places.

"I need to clean you up," Paul said.

"Paper towels," Will responded, reaching out to grab Paul's hand when he tried to walk away.

"Hey, no, sit," Paul ordered when Will struggled to stand up and move after him. "I'll get it."

"No," Will shook his head, holding tight to Paul's hand. "I wanna go too. If you leave, I'll wake up."

"You are awake," Paul promised. He placed Will's hand over his pounding heart. "Does this feel real?"

Will nodded, shaky and eyes full of disbelief.

"I'll be right back," Paul held Will's gaze while kissing his knuckles. "I promise."

Will nodded, leaning back on the couch. He didn't know how to feel, how to act with Paul here. Everything was still a little fuzzy. He remembered getting out of the Lyft car but not much else.

Next thing he knew, Will was in Paul's arms and John and Marlena were surrounding him. It reminded him of his favorite dream. The dream where the people Will loved cared again and he didn't want them to go.

But, alone again, Will started coming back to himself.

The first thing he noticed: the apartment was a mess again.

Will was so tired, woozy, and a little weak from blood loss but he knew he cleaned the apartment that morning. He tidied up before Ari went on the bus. Sonny wasn't awake long enough to make a mess before he left for work.

Will knew it was clean before he left for the free clinic. After his encounter with Isak, Will was inside long enough to rinse in the shower and change clothes.

Sonny was there when Will got back. Long enough for Isak to make it two towns over and fuck Will before they drove back.

Sonny dirtied up the house again in that time.

Will didn't know why it hit him so hard. Why he brushed it aside every other time but not now, not tonight.

Not covered in blood with Paul in his kitchen and his grandma and John caring once again. Not sleep deprived, shaking, and weak. Not feeling guilty but physically satisfied in equal measures.

The sight of Sonny's shoes, cups, a bowl, several official documents, and a suit jacket and tie made Will burst into tears.

Paul, holding several wet paper towels, hurried to Will's side when he saw the tears.

"Hey, hey," Paul kneeled in front of Will again. "What's wrong?"

Will couldn't even tell him. How could he? After everything he did to Paul, all the hurt he caused him, Paul shouldn't even be here.

He should be far, far away from Will.

Will wasn't good enough. Paul should hate him. Paul should hate Will the way Will hated himself.

How could Will even begin to explain anyway? What could he say? That his life was awful and the only thing he lived for was his daughter? That he felt trapped in a relationship with Sonny while he still loved Paul? That he cheated on Sonny, again?

How could Paul ever understand?

Why would he understand?

Why was he even here? Why did he care? He shouldn't care. He shouldn't.

Will didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve anything.

"Shh, Will, it's okay. You're okay. You'll be okay."

Paul wiped at Will's face with the wet towels, easing off layers of dried blood. Revealing scrubbed-pink skin and a smattering of freckles all while tears fell from red-rimmed eyes.

"There you are," Paul said, booping Will on the nose, hoping for at least a hint of a smile. He sighed when Will didn't even react.

"You shouldn't be here," Will whispered, tears running down his face. "I don't deserve you. You have to leave before I ruin you too. That's all I do."

"Will, no," Paul shook his head. "No, don't say that."

"It's true," Will argued. "I hurt you. I promised I wouldn't but I did. And I don't know why. I don't know why. I didn't want to. I didn't want to leave you. I'd never want to leave you. I didn't want to. I didn't."

"Will, what are you saying? If you didn't want to leave me, why did you? Why didn't you go after me?"

"You told me I couldn't. I couldn't. You told me. I couldn't. I couldn't."

"Will, you aren't making any sense."

Paul looked Will over, brows furrowed and heart pounding out of control. He brushed his hand over Will's cheek. Will reached out and held it to his face.

"I never wanted to leave you."

"Will," Paul let out a slow puff of air.

"I don't know what's happening to me," Will confessed.

They were so close. So close Paul could count each tear-soaked lash on Will's eyes.

Before either could do anything, the front door burst open.

"Will? Where the hell did you go? Are you trying to embarrass me?"

Sonny and he was already screaming.

"God, you knew this was important to me and you had to ruin it, didn't you? This is so typical. Why do you have to – what the hell is this?"

Sonny paused mid-rant, glaring at the sight before him. He didn't see the blood. Didn't see Will in distress. All he saw was Paul with his hands on Sonny's boyfriend.

Paul moved far enough to sit beside Will on the couch, hand tight to Will's shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sonny demanded.

"That's all you have to say?" Paul said in a deathly calm voice. It didn't go unnoticed by him that Will began trembling again when Sonny walked in the door.

"Oh, there's plenty I want to say," Sonny shook his head in disgust. "Why am I not surprised? I hadn't even heard you were in town and you're already pawing all over my boyfriend."

"You're unbelievable," Paul spat. "He's covered in blood and all you care about is yourself."

"He's always covered in blood," Sonny argued.

"Yeah, and why is that?" Paul demanded in a low, dangerous voice, grip on Will's shoulder tightening.

"Why, what?" Sonny asked with an exasperated shake of his head.

"I saw you," Paul revealed. "I saw you yelling at him. He was begging you to go somewhere else. He was begging you not to go inside, begging, and you dragged him in there anyway. You dragged him into that elevator and you yelled at him. And when he got off that elevator he was gushing blood, gushing. So, what the hell did you do to him?"

"Me?" Sonny asked, hand on his chest. "I didn't do anything. His nose is always bleeding. It bleeds at the slightest chance of him having to do something he doesn't want. He's seeking attention like always."

"Does it look like he's seeking attention?" Paul gestured to Will's pale, shaky form. "He was bleeding and you didn't even care. I don't care what you say; I know you had something to do with this."

"What is wrong with you?" Sonny asked with an over the top eye roll.

"Me? What is wrong with you? Who the hell are you? I don't even know you anymore."

Sonny crossed his arms but didn't say anything.

Paul glared and barely controlled his anger.

"Before I left town, all you did was insist you loved Will. You were oh so in love with him and had to have him. Well, look at him. I left because I thought he loved you. I thought he was happy. But look at him! What the hell did you do to him?"

"What the hell did I do? I haven't done anything but fix your mistakes. You ruined him! You ruined him and now I'm left with a shell of who he used to be. I wanted my relationship back and you ruined him. This is what you left me with," Sonny gestured toward Will.

"Shut the hell up, Sonny!"

Will's face crumbled, bowing his head, tears falling down his face faster and harder than before.

Paul focused all his attention on Will when he heard the first sob escape him. Taking hold of Will's neck to look him in the eyes.

"Will, no, no, hey. It's okay. It's okay."

Will shook his head, leaning toward Paul's chest.

"God," Sonny groaned, downright stomping his foot. "Get the hell away from him."

"Back off, Sonny," Paul growled, holding the back of Will's head to his chest.

"No, not you," Sonny urged. In a deep, commanding voice, Sonny ordered, "get the hell away from him, Will."

Will shook his head, covering his nose on instinct, and tightening his hold on Paul.

"Now, Will."

Will clenched his eyes shut and shook his head even as blood trickled from his nose again.

"Will, now."

Paul watched in disbelief as Will struggled to stand up and moved a few steps away from him. Arms around his waist, crying and shaking, eyes mournful and focused on Paul.

"Go get cleaned up," Sonny demanded. "And get rid of those clothes. How many outfits are you going to ruin?"

Paul watched Will hobble away toward what Paul assumed was the bedroom and bathroom.

"Now, get the hell out of here, Paul. I don't want to see you again."

"What did you do to him?" Paul repeated in a whisper. He crumpled the blood-soaked paper towels in his fists, an uncharacteristically ugly sneer on his face.

"I haven't done anything," Sonny maintained. "He's my boyfriend, my problem. Not yours. You aren't welcome here or near him ever again. Got that?"

Paul stood up, eyes on the doorway Will barely made it through on his own. With a deep breath, Paul walked toward the front door. When he was right in front of Sonny, he grabbed him by the lapels of his suit jacket and slammed him into the wall.

"I'm gonna figure out what the hell you did," Paul warned. He was right in Sonny's face, forearm pressed to Sonny's throat, calm and sincere as he'd ever been. "And if I find out you harmed him in any way, I'm gonna kill you."

Sonny, wind knocked out of him, took a few moments to push Paul away. He struggled to hold his head high and scoffed.

"You can't stand it, can you? That he picked me over you? He doesn't want you anymore. Get that through your head."

"No," Paul shook his head. He thought back to everything Will said tonight. The drastic change in his behavior months ago. The insistence that he never wanted to leave Paul at all. How hard Will clung to Paul, afraid everything was a dream. "No, he didn't pick you over me. He didn't have a choice and I'm gonna prove it."

Paul stormed out the door, running right into John and Marlena.

"Let's go," Paul insisted, ignoring the bag of fast food in their hands.

"What's going on?" Marlena asked, looking back toward the door with a frown.

"Paul?" John wondered.

"We have work to do, Dad."

Will struggled to get his shirt over his head, tossing the blood-stained monstrosity in the sink. There would be no saving it or his pants.

Besides, Sonny said he had to get rid of them.

He started the shower and leaned against the wall as the warm water cascaded over him. A mirror image from that morning – exhausted, scared, and guilty with no small amount of tears.

Only this time it wasn't for sleeping with someone he shouldn't have. This time it was because Will wanted more than anything to run back to Paul. He didn't want to leave Paul, not again.

But Will felt tired, so tired.

Tired and shaky and hungry and he couldn't fight it anymore.

Will washed his blood off his body and out of his hair. Almost slipping several times before getting out.

He brushed his teeth as fast as he could. Slipped on a pair of boxers and flopped face first in bed.

As he was falling asleep, Sonny stomped into the room and woke him up.

"What the hell, Will?"

"Huh?" Will's eyes popped open, disoriented.

"Paul, Will, Paul! The one person you know I hate more than anyone. What? It wasn't enough to have my boss all over you? Now, you had to invite Paul back to our home? What if Ari had been here, huh? Would you have carried on like you were?"

"I didn't do anything," Will mumbled, bleary-eyed and lost.

"Like hell, you didn't. You embarrassed me, tonight. Throwing a fit like a damn child. Leaving without even telling me. Bringing Paul, of all people, into our home. Paul! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I needed to leave," Will insisted. "I told you I didn't want to be there. Grandma, John, and Paul took me home."

"Oh, is that so? Where the hell are they then, Will?" Sonny shrugged with his arms crossed. "Hiding in Ari's room while you cuddle with your ex on the couch?"

"I wasn't –" Will tried to say.

"Shut up," Sonny ordered, pointing a finger in Will's face, hovering over him. "Shut up. Why do you always do this to me? When I have everything, you have to pull a stupid stunt and it's always Paul. Always."

Will wanted to argue and fight back but he couldn't. His nose tingled each time he opened his mouth.

Sonny told him to shut up. He couldn't disobey.

"Now, I have to explain things to my parents. They were finally beginning to like you again too. And there were co-workers at the restaurant tonight. They all must have seen you carrying on like a lunatic. If they didn't see you flirting with my boss first."

Will shook his head. This wasn't his fault. Even if he was flirting with Isak, no one saw them. No one saw them do anything, ever, except Sonny and a secretary or two.

The elevators at the restaurant didn't even let off at the main dining area. They let out in front of a foyer and a host stand. If anything less than ten people saw Will at the restaurant and Will didn't recognize any of them. Maybe three or four other people on the ground floor lobby.

Will didn't know who these imagined witnesses Sonny was talking about were. He didn't understand any of what Sonny was talking about.

Will couldn't concentrate. Nothing made sense and Will couldn't stay awake, not anymore.

Will passed out, Sonny yelling and pacing behind him.

For the first time in months, Will woke after Sonny. For the first time in months, he woke after the sun rose. For the first time in months, Will felt well rested.

The apartment was empty. Will panicked for a few moments before remembering Ari was a few apartments down on a sleepover.

He would need to pick her up soon. It was late, a little after 9. He didn't want her overstaying her welcome.

Will went to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

Oh, right, Sonny didn't go to the store when he told Will he would.

Will gave up.

He took a nice, long shower, scrubbing every inch of leftover blood off his body. He sprayed down the shower with cleanser after not wanting to see even a spec of blood again.

Will bagged up his disgusting clothes from last night. He tossed them in the dumpster by the end of the complex and came back around for Ari.

Then, he treated them to brunch.

It was a rare day when Will went to Olive and Ivy at the Waterfront for non-work related meals. In fact, he'd never gone without plans for an interview. If he was anyone else, he would have needed to wait weeks to get a reservation or waited hours in a line out the door.

But, Will sent a text on the walk over and there was a table waiting for him and Ari when they arrived. Small table outside overlooking the water, perfect.

After several bouts of sex, no food, forced to leave the man he loved, and three nosebleeds, Will was ravenous.

Thankfully, Will was plenty loved there and the food kept coming. He wasn't looking forward to the bill but he didn't even care.

He didn't sleep with Sonny's boss for nothing. Sonny could pay for his own bills now.

Not that Will slept with Isak for those exact reasons. He might have gone to his house for that reason but it wasn't why he slept with him.

Will had a whole host of reasons why – he was bored, lonely, desperate for anyone but who he had, attracted, pressured, persuaded, Sonny practically told him to – but what it came down to was Will slept with Isak Larsson because he wanted to.

Will wanted to and so he did. Like with Paul back in the day, like the guy in California. Will did what he wanted and dealt with the consequences after.

But, this time around, he didn't even care about the consequences.

Will was so tired, so damn tired of pretending he cared about his relationship with Sonny. So tired of putting in effort for something he didn't want.

Will never wanted to leave Paul. He never wanted to get back together with Sonny.

He didn't know how this happened or how to fix it.

When the waiter brought Will his check, he didn't even get a chance to touch it before a pale hand ripped it out of his touch.

Isak leaned against the railing next to their table and looked over the contents of Will's bill.

"You eat lots," Isak commented, pulling out his wallet and taking a few bills out. "Come, I have to talk to you."

Will, bewildered and oddly offended, blinked up at Isak with a frown.

"What?" Isak asked.

Will gestured to Ari with a furtive glance.

"I'm a little busy right now to talk."

"Oh," Isak paused for a moment before shrugging. "I mean talk, not other thing."

Isak kneeled in front of Ari's chair and stuck out his hand.

"Hello, my name is Isak. This your father, hmm? You are as beautiful as he."

Will scoffed as Ari giggled. He urged Ari to introduce herself.

"I'm Arianna but you can call me Ari," she said, playing with the ends of her hair and staring at Isak with a bashful grin. "Your words sound funny."

"You think my accent funny? Do not break my heart," Isak put his hand over his chest and pouted his lower lip.

"I like it," Ari insisted with hearts in her eyes.

Will rolled his eyes.

Great, his daughter's first crush and it was the man he cheated on her other father with.

Only his life.

"Baby," Will said, "Isak's the one who bought you all those LOL toys. What should we say to him?"

"Thank you," Ari gushed, rambling at warp speed. Telling Isak everything he bought her and how many duplicates she got and which ones were super rare.

Isak nodded and hummed, playing along. He let Ari talk herself hoarse.

"Do you mind if I talk to your pappa for a few minutes, hmm?" Isak asked, tweaking Ari's chin. "You can play with my phone. I have lots of fun apps."

Ari grabbed the phone and immersed herself in a paint app. Little legs kicking forward and back, completely distracted.

Will followed Isak to a small corner next to their table. With the chitchat of other patrons and the rush of the river, no one overheard them.

"What did you need?" Will wondered, batting Isak's hand away when he tried to touch Will's cheek. "Stop that."

Isak flashed Will a face but made a show of putting his hands away from Will's vicinity.

"I have question," he cleared his throat, "a question."

"What kind of question?"

Isak took a deep breath, rubbing his lips together.

"Have you gotten any immunisering?"

"Have I what?"

"No, what's the word? The thing, with the – the – the things, you know. The things," Isak made a motion with his fingers, sticking them to his bicep and pretending to push them inside. "Medicine in the needle?"

"Oh," Will said, as it dawned on him. "Immunization? A shot?"

"Yes, immuni- uh – yeah that word. Have you had shot? A shot?"

"Not in a long time, no," Will shook his head, thinking on it.

"Was it a good shot? One from doctor?" Isak asked, giving Will an oddly intense look.

"Uh…not exactly. The last one was in May or June," Will answered, thinking back to his old studio and Paul arguing with him on stealing serums. "Why?"

"Not sure, yet," Isak said, narrowing his eyes and staring off at the river. "Bad feeling, like I know something is wrong."

"A hunch?"

Isak nodded.

"About a shot?" Will asked with a small frown.

"Ja, yes," Isak confirmed. "I need research more."

"Research what?"

"I will tell you later," Isak insisted. He pulled Will close, cupping his face with both hands. "See you around, Raring. I'll call you about another joyride, tonight."

Will didn't have time to even react before Isak was kissing him on the corner of his mouth.

Isak slapped Will's bill back on the table, retrieved his phone from Ari, kissed the apple of her right cheek, and left.

Will gathered their things and motioned to follow when he noticed they had an audience.

John, Marlena, and Paul were standing in line, waiting for brunch. And they had a perfect view of the corner Will and Ari sat and the conversation between Will and Isak.

And the almost kiss.

Only his life.

Ari made a squealing noise and leaped into Marlena's arms. It had been ages since the two had seen one another.

John had to stable them both so they wouldn't teeter over.

"Ari," Will scolded but only halfheartedly. He saw the giant grin on both their faces.

"It's alright," Marlena assured him, giving Ari a tight squeeze. "I'm surprised to see the two of you here. I didn't think this was your type of place."

"It's not, not really," Will admitted, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Wanting nothing more than to throw himself at Paul the way Ari did Marlena.

Sonny told him to stay away from Paul, though. He said it a while ago. More than twelve hours. Will didn't feel quite as compelled with so long between directions.

Instead, Will tried not to look at Paul. Will had excellent peripheral vision, though. He could see Paul looking like a dream in a simple pair of slacks and a tight shirt.

God, all Will wanted to do was bask in Paul's presence and couldn't.

"How did you even get a table? You must have been here early?" John asked, giving Will a furtive glance.

"I know the owners," Will said with a slight shrug, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I usually do my higher up interviews here. But, I thought I'd treat me and Ari, today."

"Treat?" Marlena asked with a tilted head, finally putting Ari on the ground. "It didn't look like you paid."

"Uh…" Will looked down at his feet, mouth squished together as he decided how to answer. "I didn't, no."

"Who was that man?" Paul demanded. His eyes never once left Will since they got in line a few minutes ago.

They weren't even following Will. Marlena had never been to the restaurant. She wanted to hear John and Paul's strategy on how to deal with the Will situation and suggested they go.

It took Paul a good hour to convince them the night before there was something wrong beyond Will's nose. John and Marlena both thought Paul was working himself up over nothing. Getting his hopes up because he was still in love with Will.

They were only somewhat right. Yes, Paul still loved Will but he also knew in his bones there was something wrong. Something seriously wrong. Maybe he was optimistic, besotted, and a small part of him couldn't process that Will – his Will, his beautiful, stubborn, infuriating and yet so perfect for him Will – could choose anyone else.

After a half hour of pitying looks and soft-spoken words, they all took a break. Paul was desperate. If there was one person in the world that would believe him, believe Will was in danger and something was wrong, it was Sami Brady.

In his desperation, Paul sent her a text. She hadn't responded yet.

After their break, though, Paul convinced John and Marlena. Will's nose, his behavior, his words, the things Sonny did and said.

There was something wrong and Paul was going to find out what.

Marlena wouldn't hear of being kept out of the loop even if Paul and John were the professionals. The past several months since her shooting and during her recovery, she kept her space from Will. Couldn't stand to see him throw Paul away when Paul was so good to him and for him.

Maybe if she had kept in closer touch, Will wouldn't be in the shape he was in, now.

None of them anticipated running into Will at the restaurant, though. They certainly didn't expect to see a strange, handsome man hanging all over him either.

"Who was who?" Will played dumb, fiddling with the Apple watch Isak gave him.

Paul and John gave Will identical expressions of half-exasperation half-annoyance.

There was no denying that paternity.

"Isak," Ari chimed in with, butchering the pronunciation and giving Paul a small glare.

"Isak," Will corrected her. "Isak Larsson, he's new in town. I've been interviewing him. Actually, if he doesn't stop halting publication, my article should come out in the Sunday paper."

"Where have I heard that name before?" John asked.

"He owns Bästa Industries," Will revealed.

"Oh," John frowned. "I heard they were hiring but didn't realize he was in town. I thought someone like him would be too big for a place like Salem."

Will shrugged.

"He's the best," Ari gushed. "He bought me my house and a big ball and another big ball and the shopping mall and the…"

Ari prattled off a long list of her toys.

"Wow," Marlena said with wide eyes. "That's a lot of toys for one little girl to have."

"Nu-uh," Ari argued with a shake of her head.

"Why would he buy all those things?" Paul asked, brows furrowed and lips in a straight line.

"Uh…" Will paused for a long time.

In the lapse of time, Ari started rambling again.

"He certainly seems to have left an impression on you," Marlena told Ari with a small smile. Her eyes kept flickering toward Will, though. "The both of you."

Will's eyes widened, brows shooting up, but said nothing.

"You are looking better, though," Marlena added. "You don't look so pale and you're not shaking."

"Food helps," Will said. "No blood does too."

"Blood?" Ari asked with a cute little frown. "You were bleeding again?"

"Again?" Paul and John spat out at the same time.

"Yeah," Will told Ari with a nod. "Bloody nose, again."

"How often do you get bloody noses?" Paul wondered, concern painting his face.

Will opened his mouth to answer and Ari cut him off.

"All the time," Ari revealed. "Daddy Sonny yells at him and Daddy's nose bleeds and he has to throw out his clothes and cries in the shower."

Will recoiled.

He had no ideas she noticed any of that.

"But, Daddy Sonny said it was okay because Daddy's just sensitive and likes attention," Ari finished with a nod.

Will rolled his eyes so hard he was pretty sure he popped a blood vessel. He didn't even get a chance to correct Ari before Paul did.

"Hey," Paul kneeled down in front of Ari with a tense smile on his face. "Sonny shouldn't say things like that because it's not true."

"But, Sonny's always right. He told me. And he said not to like you because you're stupid and we hate you."

"Ari," Marlena grabbed her hand when she saw the offended look on Paul's face and the stricken expression on Will's. "When someone is bleeding, it means they're hurt. You know that. So, if Daddy is bleeding it means he's hurt. It doesn't mean he wants someone to pay attention to him, no matter what Sonny says. And you don't hate anyone, sweetheart. That's not nice."

Will pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed tight.

Here he thought his daughter was the one thing in his life going right. Come to find out, Sonny was filling her head with nonsense.

"Come on," Will said in a monotonous tone. "We have a lot of talking to do."

Ari said her goodbyes, entirely nonplussed by everything.

Will turned to go before facing them all once again.

"I guess I'll see you all at Ari's party tomorrow. Thanks for last night. I don't exactly know what happened but I know you all helped."

"What do you mean you don't know what happened?" Paul questioned, stepping toward Will and speaking in a low voice.

His hands itched to grab Will, touch him in any way possible. It killed Paul that a man Will knew from a simple interview could kiss his cheek and Paul couldn't even touch him.

"I know I got out of a Lyft but everything after is fuzzy," Will confessed. "But, I mean, I hadn't slept or eaten anything and my nose has never bleed that much."

"Have you gone to a doctor?" Paul asked. The horrific vision of a blood-spattered Will was fresh in his mind.

Will shook his head.

"Sonny said not to," Will whispered. He gave Paul a half smile before turning on his heel.

The longer he was around Paul the worse Will felt.

Will loved Paul. He loved him so much but Will knew the soul-crushing truth.

He didn't deserve Paul, not anymore.

Maybe not ever again