“Oh, are you two finally going to fuck?” Jenni squealed as Dad and Joel came up the stairs.
Joel chuckled, but Dad glowered at Bram.
Nebula groaned. “Fine. I’ll stay with Dex.”
“We’rejustgoing for a walk,” Bram mumbled, face turning a few shades of red. “I wasn’t planning anything bad.”
“You better not be,” Dad growled out.
“Leave them alone, babe,” Jenni giggled, coming out of the room and wrapping her arms around his waist as Joel rested a hand on her lower back.
“Let’s go, then.” I moved past them to follow Bram.
Bram led me outside of Dad’s manor, guiding me through the shifting sands of the desert.
“I really only wanted a moment with you. Not for sex…not that I would mind that, of course.” His cheeks were still red as he brought us to a blanket spread out beneath the vast sky. Above us twinkled with endless stars. A full moon hung overhead, and in the distance, a storm brewed. Clouds rolled in, illuminated by flashes of lightning.
I exhaled a long breath. “Bram, this is beautiful, and for the record, I wouldn’t mind if you took me out here for sex.”
“Noted.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But I want to share something special with you. Sex with you would also be special, but again, that isn’t my intention…for now.”
“Is everything okay?” My brows furrowed in concern.
He sat, encircling my wrist with his hand and tugging me down beside him. “I’m six months sober, Pandora.”
Dex gasped from the shadows. “What the fuck, man! That’s amazing. Why didn’t you tell us? Congrats!”
“Great job, Bram,” Nebula praised him.
He blushed, but we ignored Dex and Nebula’s stalking from the shadow.
“That’s truly incredible, Bram,” I said softly, resting my hand on his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I wrote you a poem.” With a breath, he pulled out a folded piece of paper and began to read from the page. The words tumbled from his lips, each one laced with heavy emotion.
Bottles of despair,
Love in the air,
I was worthless,
Looking forward to nothingness.
You gave me strength,
You made me break,
Falling into that Fates-damned lake.
You forgave a man who didn’t know right from wrong,
A warped mind for so long.
Because of you,
I’m worth something, too,
I’m sober.
