Keo sits in the chair beside me, while I’m perched on the table. Both his elbows press against the wood, face buried in his hands.
“At one point, he was monitoring who I was texting. Even if I put you down as my stepbrother, he’d have questioned it… especially since I never mentioned you.”
He lifts his head but doesn’t speak at first. He just looks at me, absolute heartbreak in his amber eyes.
“You need to get a restraining order against him, Ayden.”
The moment I open my mouth, he cuts in, “I’ll help. We’ll report those cops who were watching you at the ice cream shop. I’ll work on getting security cameras around the property.”
For the first time, the urge to smile comes over me. I reach up and brush the hair from his temple, revealing the place where Michael had hit him.
“I don’t want to be a burden on you, Keo.” The sight of his tawny skin darkening to a bruise, tightens my chest. “He’s dangerous. He pointed a gun at you. If he had shot you…”
Just the thought makes me sick.
“He didn’t. And something tells me he’s too much of a coward to do it.”
I slowly move my hand across his ear, pushing his thick waves behind it.
“You think I can’t take care of myself? Or you for that matter?”
“That isn’t it,” I huff. “It’s just…” Meeting his impenetrable stare, I keep the ‘you just shouldn’t have to’ from coming out.
“You have no idea what I’d do—” His nose twitches, like he wants to say more but stops himself behind a tut. “You’re getting the restraining order, and I don’t want to come off as controlling, but it’s for your safety.”
“I know. I’m… I’m not arguing with that. I’ll get it. I just think I need to leave?—”
“Are you out of your mind?” I appreciate that he doesn’t scream.
“I need to get a new phone, then I’ll move into the Boulder apartment. It’s safer for you.”
He stands, pushing the chair back and hovering over me. “What did I just tell you? I’m fully capable of taking care of myself—and you.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.”
“Let me ask you something, sunshine.”
Why is he calling me that? Even now. I’m theoppositeof the sun. Of any light.
“Sure.”
“Do you think I wouldn’t just move into the Boulder apartment with you?”
My eyes widen. Honestly, I thought his question would’ve been something more along the lines of, “Do you think it’s safer there?” or “Do you think he wouldn’t find you anywhere?” Not him following me.
He asks it as though it’s an obvious answer. And he would be right, it is—but I don’t want it to be. Answering would betray me, because I want to keep him out of this mess I’m in.
But… I need him.
I need to be close to him in any capacity, even if it’s just platonically.
“You going to answer my question?” he urges gently.
“You would,” I admit honestly, instead of pretending I don’t know his feelings.
“You have some security here. With neighbors I’m sure that we could tell what’s going on, and if they see anything suspicious, they’d let us know. See if they have security—Ayden.” He sighs. “You aren’t leaving.”
That hollow pit in my chest begins to fill.
