“Yes,” she said.
I said nothing.
“I mean it. And I’m not taking it back, either.”
“Good,” I managed.
Then I rolled my face right into the pillow, because tears were stinging in my eyes and I wasn’t ready for her to see that.
“Xander?”
She ran her hand through my hair, but I didn’t lift my head.
“Oh my God… baby… Did you just get the feels?”
“No,” I lied.
Pretty sure she knew it was a lie, because I could pretty much feel her smiling. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered, “You’re not gonna run on me now, are you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She snuggled in against me and put her head down. Eventually, I turned my head toward her again. My face was next to hers on the pillow, but I kept my eyes closed.
I could feel her breathing in the dark, and I knew she was wide awake.
“My brother hides in his cave because everyoneletshim,” she said, quietly. “Don’t do that to him. Or to me. If you want me, fight for me.”
I opened my eyes and looked at her. She was watching me, intently.
“Do you want me?” she asked me, softly.
“Yes.”
“Then fight for me,” she said. “Show him there’s still something in this world worth fighting for.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Xander
The next morning, when I showed up at Cary’s place, I could only assume he was in the studio. The house was silent, the double doors into the studio shut and locked.
I’d called him before I headed over, but he didn’t answer. I’d also sent him a text to tell him I needed to talk to him.
I checked my phone. It had been about forty minutes since I sent that text, and he hadn’t replied.
So I went to the kitchen, to the little jar in the cupboard above the fridge, and took out the key.
I unlocked the studio and walked right in. The double doors opened into the dark, silent hallway and I shut them behind me.
“Cary.” I called out his name as I walked slowly up the hall. I could already see the door on the right, just ahead, was ajar. There was a faint light on inside.
The control room.
“Cary. I’m coming in.”
I nudged the door open.
