“Oh, yeah. Sure. I won’t say anything.”
And she didn’t. I listened to Breeze calm her family while ensuring them she was fine. She mentioned me in passing as a man who stopped to help, but never dropped my name like some less principled people might have done. When she’d finished her phone calls, she passed the device onto me.
“Here, your turn.”
“Thanks,” I said, in no need for her phone but not willing to share with her the reason why. I stood there staring at the screen.
“Oh, crap. Sorry. You probably want some privacy. I need to take a shower anyway.”
Once Breeze left for the bathroom, taking the majority of light with her, I was suddenly alone… with my guilty conscience. I wavered on whether what I was doing was right, and if keeping my father out of the loop constituted cruel and unusual punishment. It wasn’t like he was going to find out about the fires tonight anyway. I’d just be waking him up and needlessly worrying him. Although, that’s what he’d want me to do… what I should do. But that was the problem. My whole life I’d always done what was required of me regardless of whether I’d wanted to or not. Being selfish was never an option.
Until now.
I wasn’t doing this to make my father suffer, and certainly I didn’t want him to think I was dead. But as with all difficult decisions, sometimes there was collateral damage. I’d been on the receiving end of Tucker’s poor decision-making skills more times than I could count, so if I needed to carve out some time to myself, I would do it without guilt.
The decision made, I sank to the floor, my back propped against the wall. While I would have preferred the sofa, I didn’t want the toxins clinging to my body to be transferred onto Breeze’s couch. Looking around her place, I tried to get a sense of who she was but, aside from the outlines of furniture highlighted by the beam of the flashlight, Breeze remained a mystery.
A rustling sound caught my attention and I turned in time to lock eyes with the Chihuahua.
“Hey you, have you come to finish me off?” I asked before noticing a change in the small dog. He was worn to the bone. I could only imagine the fatigue that came with barking –all fucking night. And even though I wasn’t a member of Little Dick’s fan club, certainly I could sympathize with another living thing in need.
“Come here,” I offered, patting my leg. To my surprise, Sweetpea jumped up and settled onto my lap. The pup had given me his trust and, I’m not going to lie, I’d never felt so worthy. He blinked at me a few times, his eyes heavy with sleep before he laid his head down and accepted me for what I was, a safe place to slumber.
Running my hands over his coarse fur, it occurred to me that comforting the dog had the same soothing effect on me. My body relaxed and a strange lightness filled me to the brim. Growing up, pets were not allowed, so I’d never understood what all the fuss was about… until now. Were they the calming force that kept people sane? No wonder dog walkers always seemed so damn cheerful. I needed to get myself one of these.
“You know what, Little Dick?” I whispered. “You aren’t half bad after all.”
10
Breeze: Team Edward
Islipped into the bathroom, bursting with excitement. Bodhi Beckett was here, in my cottage,one wall away, and somehow I had to pretend it didn’t matter.
I’d never been good at acting. I was the kid in the school play who ended up in the back row dressed like a tree. And now I had to keep Bodhi’s existence in my kitchen under wraps.
Pushing aside the intrigue, I held the light up to the mirror, illuminating my face so I could examine the knot on my forehead. The bump was tender to the touch, sporting a little heartbeat of its own. I could only imagine the color scheme I’d be working with in the morning. Although I’d planned on applying a little makeup to the area after my shower, it was clear that nothing short of spackle would do.
Not that it mattered, since first impressions had already been formed. If my whole damsel in distress bit hadn’t been enough to electrify Bodhi, I was pretty sure the horn in the middle of my forehead would do the trick.
But who was I kidding? Bodhi hadn’t accepted my offer to spend the night because he was eager to bang a mythical creature. He just needed a place to lay his weary head.
Sighing, I quit worrying about my appearance and turned toward the shower. Just as I was about to undress, the world swam out of focus, and a sharp pain lanced through my chest. A tremble shook my legs and spread like a tiny earthquake. Swallowing hard, I gripped the sink, gasping for air.
You’re going to die.
Random thoughts flickered. My mom and Terrance. Mason.
Help me.
A scream exploded in my head—mine. And then the pounding—thump thump thump—and Bodhi’s voice.
“Breeze?” More pounding. “Breeze! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I just… I c-can’t breathe. I-I’m freaking out.”
“Open the door.”
I would if I could, but my feet were glued in place. Oh, god, was I paralyzed? “I-I can’t.”
