He frowned at the screen, his expression morphing away from what we’d shared and back into something that looked horribly like reality.
I straightened from tying my boots. “Everything okay?”
After a pause, Folk nodded. “I have to go. There’s a lot I need to do before I ride out with Alexei later.”
“Can I ask you something?”
He dropped his phone in his pocket. “Of course.”
“Does anyone know where you’re going?”
“No.”
“Not even Saint?”
“Especially not Saint.”
The buzz of what we’d shared started to fade, leaving the same old anxiety in its place. Folk had been right—him fucking me hadn’t fixed anything. “Not Cam either then?”
Folk shook his head. “It’s fortuitous it’s happening while he’s on the road. He deserves better answers, and so do you. But I can’t give them until we come back.”
“But you will come back... right?”
“That’s the plan.” Folk stepped into my arms. “And when I do, we can have that conversation about loads of kids and how much I love you. But I have to do this first.”
“I—”
Folk kissed me. Gentle. Then drew back with a sigh. “I have to go. What time is your meeting?”
“You don’t have to come to that.”
“I know. Figure out what you need and text me. Either way, I’ll see you before I leave, I promise.”
It was all we had. He kissed me again, and then he was gone, leaving me to stand in my kitchen, staring atthatpart of the kitchen counter until the freezer made a strange noise.
My phone. Folk was right again. No matter what I did, every bullshit thing breaking my heart was still fucking there.
I stormed to the freezer and yanked the door open. Yanked the drawer until it fell out and crashed onto my boots.
The phone skittered across the tiles and wedged itself against a plinth.
I crouched to retrieve it. Folk’s name was on the screen, buried in the mess of missed calls and messages from Lauren.
Fuck her.
I opened Folk’s message.
Folk:I haven’t been with anyone since I last tested negative... in case you’re wondering.
My fingers flew over the screen.
Decoy:i’m not
I wasn’t. That condom... I had no regrets about chucking it away. Having Folk bare inside me—that heat. Thattrust. My faith in the world was at an all-time low, but my faith in him was unshakeable.
Tell him.But my phone exploded in a rush of messages before I could type anything else.
Lauren:Seth, I think we need to talk about what you’ve done to Ivy’s hair. I know you want to hurt me, but attacking Ivy is unacceptable. Lord knows what ideas you’ve put in her head while she’s been with you, but this has to stop.
