The walk to the truck was harder than it should have been. She had to steady me twice when I stumbled over nothing.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Tired.”
“I know.” Her voice was soft. Sad… but why?
The drive back was short. She helped me out of the truck and up the stairs, her arm around my waist, supporting more of my weight than I wanted to admit. In the bedroom, I sat on the edge of the bed and started unlacing my boots. My fingers fumbled with the simple task.
“Let me.” Cami knelt and unlaced them for me, pulling them off gently.
“Thank you.” I lay back, and the mattress felt like heaven. “God, I’m so tired.”
“I know.” She helped me get undressed down to my t-shirt and boxer briefs, then she covered me in the blanket. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Just...” I struggled to keep my eyes open. “Eat something. I noticed you didn’t eat breakfast. Promise me you’ll eat.”
There was a pause. “I promise.”
“Good.” My eyes closed. “Good girl.”
I felt her hand on my face, gentle and warm. Heard her voice, distant like she was already far away.
“I miss you,” she whispered.
The words didn’t make sense. Miss me? I was right here. I tried to respond, tried to ask what she meant, but sleep pulled me under like a wave. I dreamed in fragments.
Work. Vendors. Schedules. The same administrative details my brain had been chewing on for days. And somewhere in the middle of it, that voice again.
I miss you.
But that didn’t make sense. She was here. At the Ranch. With us.
My brain filed it away as dream logic and moved on to more pressing matters. The supply order that needed attention. The scheduling conflict that required resolution. Even in sleep, I couldn’t stop working.
I woke to darkness and the smell of food. My phone said it was 7 p.m. I’d slept for six hours. Downstairs, I could hear voices. Majesty and Cami.
I dragged myself out of bed and down the stairs, my body protesting every movement. They were at the dining table. Majesty looked slightly better than this morning, though still exhausted. Cami was pushing food around her plate again.
“Hey,” I said, my voice rough from sleep. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sleep that long.”
“You needed it,” Majesty said. “Feel better?”
“A little.” I moved to the table and sat down. “How did the afternoon go?”
“Fine. Derek and Arlo handled it well. No major issues.”
We talked through the day’s observations while we ate. Or rather, while Majesty and I ate. Cami was still just moving food around.
“Cami,” I said, noticing finally. “You’re not eating.”
“I had a big lunch,” she said quickly. “I’m not that hungry.”
Had she? I tried to remember if Majesty had mentioned her eating, but my brain was still foggy from sleep.
“We were thinking about doing a scene tonight,” Majesty said, looking at her. “Something light. Just to reconnect.”
I watched her face carefully. Something flickered across it. Panic? Fear? But it was gone before I could identify it.
“I’m still really sore,” she said, her voice apologetic. “From the flogging scene. Can we skip tonight? Maybe tomorrow?”
