Tears stung my eyes.I could still hear her voice so clearly, but would that always be true?Would that fade in time?Would there be a day when I couldn’t remember the sound of her voice?My phone, with all my pictures and videos of my parents, was gone.Destroyed.I didn’t know if I would get to go inside my home and pack up things of theirs, mine.All the memories, videos, files might all be lost to me.
Letting out a sob, I stepped into the shower.
The kitchen was empty, but talking and laughter filtered down the hallway from the great room.I’d taken my time this morning, written Calvin a letter, and waited until everyone coming to eat breakfast would be finished.I was so unsure of how to navigate things with Forge now.We’d not had sex, but I’d never done any sexual things with a friend before.We were friends—at least, I thought we were.
God, this was awful.Why was I so awkward?
Standing in the empty room, I looked around, not really hungry, but unsure of what else to do.If I stayed in my room, then it would be noticed and questioned since I had escaped last night so hastily.Chewing my bottom lip, I stared at the fancy espresso machine and decided I could drink some coffee.
“You’re a late sleeper,” Wayon said behind me.
I winced at the sound of his voice, then plastered a smile on my face before turning around.His blond hair was damp, as if he had just taken a shower.I hadn’t realized they were staying the night here.Great.That meant Lula Mae was still here.
“Not always,” I replied.And not today.I’d been up for hours.
He smirked.“If I can sleep in, I do.Doesn’t happen often,” he told me as he walked past me and toward the espresso machine.“So, you and Forge got a thing.”
I tensed up, already shaking my head.“No, uh … no.Not at all.”
Wayon flashed me an amused grin before taking down a mug.“You realize you flush bright red when you lie.”
Crap.I wasn’t lying.But I was embarrassed.
“I’m not lying.Really.We are just friends,” I explained.Hoping that was accurate.
“Yeah, I’m calling bullshit on that,” he said with a small shake of his head.He began working the machine with ease.He seemed to have no problem figuring it out.“But I won’t pry.If it’s a secret though, neither of you are doing a good job at covering it up.”
I opened my mouth and closed it, grappling for the right words to say.
“I’ve already got one of the Mississippi boys wanting me dead over a woman.Don’t want to add to my tally,” he drawled, sounding as if it was funny instead of anything he was really concerned with.
“Forge doesn’t—he, uh … wouldn’t want you dead.Especially over me,” I stammered.
“I’m not agreeing with you on that one, sweetheart.I know a territorial man when I see one.And Forge Savelle was ready to rip me apart last night.Until you left me, I was enjoying the buildup.Probably shouldn’t have baited him though,” he said with a shrug, cutting his eyes back at me.“But damn if I don’t enjoy the drama.”
There it was.The dark glint of danger in his eyes.It was something I’d seen in the others at times, but with Wayon and his clean-cut appearance, it wasn’t so easy to spot.He hadn’t appeared to be a threat until just now.The detached void in his gaze made me shiver.But it was gone just as quickly.The easygoing smile was back as he took his cup from the machine and took a sip.
I no longer wanted coffee.Instead, I’d rather get away from this man who wasn’t what he seemed.It was hard to imagine Forge killing anyone, even with his bad-boy appearance.But Wayon?I could see it.I had seen it in his eyes.A chilling coldness, as if he reveled in any threat.
What to say to get out of here, I wasn’t sure exactly.I’d already run from him once.
“Morning.”
Forge’s voice brought several things.Relief, butterflies, and then anxiety.I wasn’t ready to face him.
“We were just talking about you,” Wayon said.
Forge didn’t even look his way.His gaze was locked on me.
“You good?”The concern was clear in his tone.
I wasn’t doing a good job of acting as if last night and this morning in my bed were no big deal.
I nodded.
“Yeah, definitely nothing going on there,” Wayon said smugly as he started toward the door.
My gaze swung to him, and he winked as if we shared a secret.We did not.
