“I can’t sleep.” I take another drag of my cigarette. “I suppose you want to take this off me, too, Destroyer of All Fun.”
“What a sweet little nickname.” He steps closer and takes the cigarette from me, raising it to his lips and taking a drag.It’s far sexier than it should be to watch his full lips around the cigarette.
He exhales in a much cooler fashion than I’d managed, and I eye him. “I thought you didn’t smoke anymore.”
“The odd one.” He winks at me. “Usually after I’ve seen you on one of your periodic raids of my hotel rooms.”
“Makes me sound like a Viking.” I take the cigarette back and puff away on it. “I’d have made a cracking Viking.”
“With that hair and your bloodthirsty temperament, you’d have been a shoo-in.”
“I would. I’d have been exceptional at the pillaging part too.”
“You appear to have started with my wardrobe.”
I huddle into the sweater. “You’re not getting it back.”
“Perish the thought.”
He shivers, and reluctant concern stirs. “You’re going to catch a cold,” I mumble and unpeel myself from my blanket and hand it to him.
“I’m fine,” he says, trying to give it back. I step away, and he relents, tucking the blanket around his shoulders. He looks down and freezes. “Xavier, you haven’t got any shoes on,” he scolds.
“I’m fine. Chill out.”
“Something you’ll be doing super quickly if you don’t get some fucking shoes on. You’ve been ill.”
I scoff. “I haven’t had the flu. I had an overdose brought on by Robbie Shit for Brains.”
His face clouds with anger. “I wish I could have another go at him. I’d rearrange a lot more than his fucking face.”
“Now who’s a Viking?”
“Aren’t you going to lecture me about violence?”
“Have youmetme?” I ask incredulously.
He chuckles, and I stub out the cigarette into an ashtray on the table. Then I step back. “Why are you out here anyway?”
“Well, Xavier, I heard an elephant stomping around in my bedroom and thought I’d better investigate.” He watches me, his eyes busy with concern. I shouldn’t like that as much as I do. “Why are you really up?” he asks softly.
I shrug awkwardly. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“That’s not surprising. The hospital said it might take a few days to get the drug out of your system.”
I lick my lips. “I think you and I both know I might need longer than that. That might have been the first time someone gave me drugs without my say-so, but it’s definitely not the first time I’ve taken them. Maybe you shouldn’t have hit Robbie.” My words tumble out with all the thoughts that were keeping me awake. “I mean, I’ve taken them with him before and?—”
“Xavier Conway, stop talking.”
I stare at him. “Full name. Am I in trouble?”
He steps close, and places his hands on my shoulders, and gives me a gentle shake the way a dog would scruff a puppy. The warmth of his hands sinks through the jumper and heats my skin. “It was entirelyhisfault,” he says steadily. “Whatever you’ve done or haven’t done with or without him. Did you ask for drugs at any point during that evening?” He raises his eyebrow, and I realise I’m supposed to be answering.
“No,” I say hoarsely.
“Well, then. Put that out of your mind.”
I shake my head. “Great. It’s freed up some space, but the rest of my worries are filling the emptiness.”
