He smirks, rolling his head back against the pillow so his face is facing the ceiling. I find it an odd way for him to react and file it away in my head. “It’s not the first time. Probably won’t be the last, either.”
I’m tempted to ask what he means but bite my tongue.
I lay with him, letting him go when he nods off and soft snores fill the room. Soon after, I follow, sleep pulling me down faster than it has in a long while.
FIFTEEN
COLSON
I snuckout of Violet’s apartment sometime in the middle of the night. She was peaceful as hell lying next to me, but I couldn’t stay. I shouldn’t have even shown up to begin with.
I had a moment of weakness, the reality of it crashing down on me when I jolted awake and dug through my bag for my phone to check the time. It was dead so I had no sense of time other than it being dark on the other side of her bedroom window. I took that as my sign to get the hell out of there before she woke.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and grimaced from the ache that spread along my side. I tiptoed out of her room and thankfully, didn’t run into her roommates on the way out. I breathed one hell of a sigh when I made it into the elevator. Now it’s the following morning, and I have to deal with Sebastian.
He barrels into my room without so much as a knock. I didn’t bother showering when I came back last night. I gently fell to my bed, and it was lights out all over again after I popped two more pain killers.
“What the hell happened to you? Your face looks fucked.”
“If you’re going to send compliments my way, Seb, at least wait until I’m fully awake,” I groan, my voice raspy from sleep as I open one eye and catch his legs approaching the bed.
It’s not like I could hide out in Violet’s room forever. This moment was bound to happen from the moment Finn trapped me in that alleyway.
“You know I mean that in the nicest way possible,” he counters, invading my space to get a better look at me. He sucks air through his teeth, grimacing a little too hard at my expense.
“The fuck you do.”
“Seriously. What happened? There’s blood on your chin and a bruise the size of my palm.”
Blood? I tried lying on the opposite cheek through the night, but maybe I switched at some point and irritated the cut at the corner of my mouth. I twist over to my back and sit up, bringing my thumb to wipe at my face. There’s blood coating my finger when I pull away. I tongue my cheek and swipe it along my lip. It doesn’t taste like much, but…wait. Yep, there’s a slight tinge of metallic.
My body battles between the unique taste and the ache in my torso, my brain flipping between the two as Sebastian watches me.
Because I can’t tell him about Finn, I settle on a white lie—one that makes me feel like the biggest pile of shit. “I was sparring with a new guy at Gulliver’s. He got in a dirty shot.”
Boxers get hit in the face all the time. They get bruised. Sometimes bloody.
His brow furrows. The sure sign I have to give him more. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? Dude, you should see your face.” He shakes his head in disbelief. If only he knew what really happened. “And you’re working there now, too?”
I dip my chin because Sebastian isn’t all that crazy about it. He doesn’t love the idea of me going back to Harrison Heights as often as every day. Not now that I’ve been in Chatham Hills with him, but it’s the best I have going for me.
“It’s actually going well,” I tell him even though I can see the doubt on his face. Sebastian is one of the most supportive people I know, but he’ll also say it like it is. He’s not afraid to tell me that I don’t belong on the other side of the Sycamore River. He doesn’t hold it as a judgment, but a way of showing how much he cares. “Llewellyn keeps me busy, and the pay isn’t all that bad.” It’s not as good as my last gig, but it’s something. “You know he’s always been good to me.”
“Yeah, but I hate that you even have to cross the bridge.” My chest constricts from his concern. He’s not judging where I grew up or the people who live there, but more so my circumstances.
“I know but I don’t have a choice.”
“That’s not true. You know mom would find you something that pays better and doesn’t give you split lips.”
“Do not fucking call Aunt Bess.” It comes out harsher than I intend, but if he calls her, it’ll invite her into my business. Not that I don’t love her, but I don’t want her to know what I do in my spare time. Her and Uncle Thad are already covering the cost of my living expenses. If I ask for more, I’ll feel like an even bigger asshole for what I’m doing. “I’m fine.”
“Just because you’re fine doesn’t make it right. Do they let anyone go into that gym?” He winces, scanning my face again. “Goddamn, was he a crazed animal or something? He got you good. The guys on the football team in high school never even walked away looking that bad.”
“Pretty sure he’s human and you guys wore helmets.” I carefully toss my legs over the side of the bed. He might believe me now, but if he gets wind of the damage underneath my shirt, all bets are off. Aunt Bess will be on the phone in a minute flat.
I swallow through the twinges of pain that zap my torso.
