It takes him a moment to find the courage, but eventually he slips his massive arms around me and holds me. It’s not what I really want because he’s not Rathyn, but it’s something. I leanmy head against his chest and take a deep breath before closing my eyes and searching.
I find Rathyn. I can’t see where he is or what he’s doing, but for now, I know he’s safe.
“Promise me you’ll come back.”
“My Everest. My little human. I promise.”
twenty-three
EVEREST
“Ican’t stay in here just doing nothing,” I tell Cielo, who is sitting on the kitchen island drinking his third latte in a row. I can hear his happy hum from where I’m pacing. “I’m losing my mind!”
Cielo meets my frantic gaze. The pink jacket we bought him is sitting on his shoulders once more. He put it on as soon as he arrived back at Rathyn’s, and despite being stressed, I find it so fucking cute.
Just as I announce this, my phone buzzes. My fingers fumble with it as I desperately try to answer. Don’t know why I’m behaving like this. It’s not like Rathyn would call my cell phone. He’d just ring my brain until I answered.
“Zane!” I say, far too loudly. “Hello, friend.”
Zane is obviously as perplexed by my weird mood as I am, but then again, this whole fucking month has been a wild ride. “Uh, yeah. Hey.”
“Oh my god. It’s been forever. Do you want to meet up?” I ask a little too eagerly, and Zane huffs a laugh.
“I figured I’d need to grovel or some shit before you offered to hang out with me.”
“No. I mean, normally yes. You were an asshole, but also, I need a friend right now. I’m stressed the fuck out.”
His voice drops, and I can hear the concern lacing his words. “Why? What happened?”
“Ugh, such a long story. Want to meet at the gym? I’d love to work out some of this nervous energy.”
“Yeah, alright. I mean, I was just there, but I can go again.”
I’m moving before he can talk me out of it. “Yeah, cool. Be there in, like, twenty?”
Zane grunts and hangs up, leaving me to get ready in a rush. 888
Pulling on some athletic pants and a tank before shrugging on a jacket, I hop toward the door, my shoes still unlaced.
“Come on, Cielo. We’re going to go work out!”
He stares longingly at the espresso machine, but I grab on to his wrist and tug, pulling him out the door.
“We can get you one after. I promise.”
He sighs loudly, but follows me to the lobby where I hire a car, and it isn’t long before we’re driving down the street. Rain is falling from the sky in massive sheets, and my body starts to shiver. It’s partially from nerves, partially from the stress, and partially from getting soaked on the walk from the building to the car.
When we finally arrive at the gym, Zane is waiting by the door. He slips out when we approach and pulls me in for a gruff hug. He doesn’t even look at Cielo, which would normally bother me, but I’m so fucking stressed about Rathyn that I let it slide.
“Zane, this is Cielo. Cielo, this is my best friend—who is sometimes an asshole—Zane.”
“Ahhhhsssss,” Cielo says, and Zane makes a face at him.
“Who is this guy? You find a new monster or some shit?”
“No, dickbag. This is Rathyn’s…uh, co-worker.”
That makes Cielo’s eyes flick down to meet mine. I don’t want to say bodyguard because then Zane will get curious about things I’m not allowed to tell him.
