Page 57

Okay, fine, I created such a twisted web of half-truths even I got lost in my blathering. What else should I have done?

Fiddling with my new yellow friend, I spun a tale about spending time with Bane, sans the supernatural bits. Elaborating, I explained I had gotten very little sleep for a couple days; therefore, I forgot to charge my phone.

“Stop. Forget what I said earlier,” Mo stated.

“What?”

She sniffled while straightening her shoulders and dragged over a second stool that she pilfered from the Head Librarian’s office earlier, then gently reached for my hands.

I opened my mouth to reply but she squeezed my hands once. “Hush, let me finish. You don’t have to tell me everything, okay? I mean it. It was unfair of me to demand it from you and I’m sorry. I know I can be bull-headed and steamroll people, especially when I have the utmost intention of their best interest at heart.” She winced. “Sometimes my Aries shows its ugly ram head and I can’t contain it.” Monstera laughed shortly, but it lacked true amusement. “Everyone is entitled to house a few secrets…”

I eyed her as her sentence trailed off and she glanced away, worrying her lip with her teeth.

“Mo, there’s nothing for you to apologize for, and deep down you know that. You’re right,” I blew out a breath, shaking my head slowly. “Of course, you’re right. You know me better than anyone. There’s a lot going on in my life right now that I can’t talk about or explain.”

“I won’t deny that it hurts you’re keeping something from me. But,” she emphasized eyeing me, a discerning expression crossing her face, “it brings me comfort to remind myself that you’ll tell me when you’re ready. I have faith that everything will work out in the end. Talk about what you feel comfortable sharing and I promise I won’t judge.”

I squeezed Mo’s hands. “I know.” Pausing, memories of the events of the last few days carouseled through my mind. It was obvious where I should start. Bane. He wasn’t a safe subject in the slightest, but I was spending most of my time with him; accidentally or not, the end result was the same. “So,” I cleared my throat, “the truth. I’ll start again at the beginning I suppose?”

She nodded, a smile warming her features.

I grimaced, anticipating her over the top reaction. “I’ve been fooling around with someone.”

Monstera’s eyes lit up and her smile spread into a grin as she jumped to her feet, dancing in place. “I fucking knew it!”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, allowing a smirk to form.

“Seriously though, I know when you’re lying, Miko. For the record, you’re fucking terrible at it. Never gamble.”

Sighing, I looked at her, hoping she saw the plea in my eyes as I mumbled. “I didn’t lie…only emitted a few details. Before you ask, his name is Bane.” I winced and changed my position slightly, a flare of pain travelling from my lower abdominals to the small of my back.

God, these stools are uncomfortable. Why anyone invented chairs without back rests is beyond me.

“Bane, huh?” Monstera prodded. “That’s an odd name, but I think I like it. Sooooo?”

I laughed. “Is that your best attempt at gently prying answers out of me?”

She scoffed, faux outrage coloring her cheeks. “No.” My eyebrow curved upward. “Okay, yes. Sorry. I’m not subtle and you’re very aware of that fact, Koko.”

“Honestly, I don’t know where to start. He’s, well.” Dropping my head into my hands, I groaned.

“Oh, this is getting so good. Keep going! Don’t make me actually go get a crowbar and make you share your feelings, woman,” Mo half threatened, half encouraged. Or was it, threateningly encouraged?

“Subtle,” I deadpanned.

“Piss off,” she said through a snicker. “I missed your grumpy ass.”

I stood, lightly twisting and stretching out my back. “Same here, Ms. I-have-no-chill. Very well.” Throwing up my hands, I paced a small track behind the check-out desk. “He’s a gigantic, hideously attractive, goofball, lunatic. There you happy?”

Mo’s lips curled into her mouth as if she was trying to stop a laugh from escaping. “Um,” she choked out, then burst into a fit of giggles, “you’ve just described the perfect man.”

I smoothed my features one by one, then spoke in a flat voice. “You’re the worst.”

“I know,” she bounced over and forced me into a hug, pinning my arms at my sides as she rocked us back and forth. “But you fucking love the shit out of me anyway.”

Rolling my eyes, even though she couldn’t see them, I pinched her side until she released me with a squeal. My eyes suddenly rimmed with tears. “I really do. It’s been a lot without you.”

Realistically, I knew it had been less than two weeks since I saw her in person, but before that we spent at least an hour together every day of the week. My nostrils flared as I exhaled and blinked away the wayward tears determined to fall.