I’m not good for him. I never have been.
He sighs, thumbs tapping out a response.
Sorry. All good. I was keeping Remy company while he studied and lost track of time. On my way home now.
He sits up and the loss of his touch is like losing a limb. Stretching his long arms overhead, he yawns. Mitz pops her head up from beside him.When the fuck did she get there?I swear that cat prefers the bastard over me— the one who feeds and houses her.
He scratches behind her ears and smirks at me.
“I’ve been summoned.”
I roll my eyes, unable to suppress a huffed laugh. “You make it sound like you’re a demon or something.”
“Have you met me? I basically am.”
There’s no stopping my grin. “Touché.”
With a wink he stands and brushes cat hair off his jeans. It’s futile. I’m distracted by Mitz circling his legs and rumbling like a car engine when a shadow descends over me—
Win's hand braces the couch cushion behind me. Lips tickle my ear. “Thank you for tonight. It meant more than you know.”
Will I ever take a full breath again?
He softly kisses my cheek, lingering against my skin.
I’m floating and sinking. Falling and soaring. I’m about to cave— turn my face to swallow his sweet words and give into the desire coursing through my veins.
But he retreats, pausing on the threshold for one last look, grey eyes round with affection.
“Goodnight, Sunshine.”
The door clicks shut.
I turn to Mitz, groaning and tossing my laptop aside. She jumps out of the way with a high pitched yowl of annoyance as I flop on my back, shove a pillow over my face and scream, “Goddamnhim!”
24
Remy
Six Years Ago
Some nights, I wake to complete darkness in a cold sweat, fighting off imaginary monsters whose claws rake the inside of my skull until it’s tattered strips of brain matter. Other times, like tonight, my eyes won’t close as spiraling loops and laps of thoughts tangle and twist until they’re a knotted, writhing mass of twitching worms. Disjointed fears project across the ceiling like the morphing, colorful shapes of a kaleidoscope. My heartrate insists on keeping pace with the marathon race in my mind. Hours stretch and warp, dragging on forever while reeling by faster the more I toss and turn.
The agonizing ache of longing swells within me. What I would do to hold Win right now. Feel the soothing little puffs of his exhales on my chest, his silky hair tickling my nose. He’s probably passed out on his stomach with one leg hitched up the way he always does. I bet he’s got his face smushed in a pillow like last weekend when we holed up in his room, cuddling, gaming and napping.
2 a.m. comes and goes. I can’t stand the lonely void of my bedroom anymore.
Ugh. :( Can’t sleep. You awake?
Dropping the phone on my chest, I blow out a sigh.
It vibrates a second later.
Baby, I’m a vampire, of course I’m awake.
That message is a stone skipped across the lake of anxiety, disbursing little bursts of peace. My lips lift as another message immediately follows.
And I blame you for my insomnia.
