I looked out the window from where I was sitting. Icy rain pelted the glass. I wanted to go to the blood draw place and get it done now, not wait.Fuck.
I hung my head and gripped my hair. Anger, that was what I was feeling.
“Happy fucking New Year to me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Lukas
I could jumpinto the ice cold water and swim to shore to see Sam and be fine, but of course I couldn’t tell him that. I had to stare out the window and watch the storm. Fortunately, it was weakening and I saw that the plows were successfully removing the snow from the streets.
When I’d spoken to Sam yesterday he’d been happy, bubbly, excited for our date as soon as the weather calmed. However, this morning, something was off. He sounded tired, perhaps as if he’d been crying. I wasn’t sure. Surprisingly, it bothered me more than I’d have thought it would. Sam needed me…well, maybe he didn’tneedme, but I hoped he wanted me.
I was a mess…and this was Vincent’s fault. He was the one who’d told me to get to know Sam, be his friend, and here I was chomping at the bit to see him and beg to fix whatever had upset him. Who was I?
As if I’d conjured him, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from Vincent. “Did you feel me smiting you?” I greeted him.
“As pleasant as ever, my friend. And here I’d hoped the lovely Sam had filed away your sharp edges.”
“Speaking of Sam, this is all your fault.”
“My fault? What did I do?”
I began pacing in front of my windows. “You made me get to know him.”
“Okaaaay, and?”
“So, I did, and now I’m on my island, there’s a storm, I can’t get to him, and I know something is bothering him.”
There was a beat of silence before Vincent’s annoyingly loud laughter bellowed through the phone.
I gripped a handful of my hair, desperately trying to calm my temper so I didn’t crush my phone, because if I did that Sam wouldn’t be able to get a hold of me…and back to the problem on hand.
“Are you quite done?” I growled.
“Sorry.” He cackled.
“No, you’re not.”
“You’re right. I’m not.”
I had to release the fistful of my hair, or I’d tear it out of my skull. “Things would have been better if you hadn’t pushed me.”
“Would they?” There was a slight amusement to Vincent’s tone. “I think you’re experiencing something you haven’t had in many years.”
“Stress? I was actually not stressed for a long time. Irritated, bored, yes. Stressed, no.”
He snorted. “Not stress. Lukas, you care about him, for him…there’s nothing wrong with that. Maybe…” He trailed off.
“Maybe what, Vincent?”
“Did you find your eternal companion?”
Part of me didn’t want to tell Vincent that I’d wondered the same thing, didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, but I needed his thoughts.
“I don’t know.”
“Perhaps what you’re feeling is fear, Lukas.”
