She huffs. “You don’t say.”
She inspects the dessert before popping it into her mouth. I watch her chew, somewhat excited to share a piece of my culture with someone other than Alex and Kane.
She moans almost as if she forgot where we are. It’s low and throaty and definitely shooting to places it shouldn’t.
Heat crawls up my nape. Clearing my throat, I look away, pretending to fix the lid on the syrup cup. Acting as if the sounds coming from her doesn’t knock something loose inside me.
I shift my weight, restless, fighting the reaction the way I’ve learned to fight every other distraction.
“Good, huh?” I mutter, keeping my voice even,
Sam hums and nods. “Is this your way of trying to cheer me up?”
My lips press together, and I left out a breath. “Is it working?”
Sam smiles. “Thanks.”
I nod. “You looked like you were about to disappear. Figured I’d keep you tethered a minute.”
Her features soften, and I can tell no one’s really given her that space before. The question comes before I realize that I’m speaking.
“Are you okay?”
She shakes her head. “Now would be a good time for you to resume the no talking thing.”
Fair enough.
But, I can’t let it go. She might not want to voice the problem or bring life to the pain she’s feeling. Because that’s what this is: pain. Something so bone deep that it’s eating her alive.
I lift to retrieve my phone from my back pocket. Quietly, I scroll through it until I find her number. I type out a message and hit send.
Bryden:Then don’t talk. Type it out. Whatever you say goes into the vault and I’ll delete it like it never happened.
Her phone buzzes against the bench, and she frowns as she picks it up. I watch as she recognizes my name on the screen. She peers at me, that brow now permanently pinched.
She stares at the phone, as if she’s contemplating if she should respond. Or maybe she’s contemplating whether she can trust me.
A deep breath escapes her, and I see the tension start to wane, if only a little. Sam types back, and instead of reading over her shoulder, I watch others enter the library. Then my phone vibrates.
Collins:It’s my brother. I miss him and promised we’d talk every week, but my stepdad is a dick.
I read the message, letting it sit between us for a beat.
Bryden:Not letting you talk to him.
Collins:You guessed it. The fucker just likes to make my life hell.
Bryden:Tell me about him.
She snaps her gaze to me then back to her phone.
Collins:He’s an asshole.
That brings a crooked smile to my lips.
Bryden:I mean your brother.
She hesitates.
