ANNA
The distant sound of a headboard banging against a wall wakes me up. I hold my breath when I hear rustling from Rosie’s crib. She stirs, rolls, and murmurs something under her breath but then she settles.
I quietly exhale and glare at the ceiling. The noise stays at a steady tempo, never waning. Eventually, as the minutes pass by, moaning joins the fray. It’s not as loud as normal, but I can’t sleep.
Every few seconds I glance over at Rosie, making sure she’s unaware of what’s going on upstairs. And every time, I can’t help feeling guilty as I remember Sylas’s words.
And those noises? Don’t tell me you’re actually okay with our daughter being woken up by them?
No, I’m not okay with it. If I could, I’d move out immediately, but I don’t have the money, and there aren’t any available apartments. I know because I checked after Sylas left yesterday.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I know exactly who it is.
I tell myself I’m not going to answer. I tell myself it could be anyone. Still, it’s late, maybe a little past one in the morning, so whoever it is can wait.
Curiosity gets the best of me.
I slip on my glasses and grab my phone, reading the message.
Sylas: Are you sleeping okay?
I don’t know how he knew, and I don’t know why I’m entertaining the idea of replying, but before I know it, my fingers are moving and I’m hitting send.
Me: Are you sleeping okay?
Sylas: No. I’d sleep better if I knew he wasn’t your neighbor. He’s being loud again, isn’t he? That’s why you’re awake, right?
I go to set my phone down because there’s no reason why I should be texting him. We’re not necessarily talking about Rosie, and she’s sleeping either way. But then he sends me another message, and again, curiosity wins out.
Sylas: I have more than enough space. I’ll give you my bedroom. It has an en suite and lots of storage. I’ll give you whatever you want, whatever you need. Let me just get you out of there
Me: You’re being pushy. It’s annoying
Sylas: Does this mean you’re thinking about it?
Me: No. We shouldn’t live together. That’d be weird
Sylas: Did you forget how Rosie was conceived? We’re way past weird, Anna
I can almost hear the snark in his voice, see him smirking, the way his eyes glisten with mischief.
Me: That doesn’t mean it’s something we should be talking about anymore. Or that you and I should be living together
Sylas: Think about it
Me: There’s nothing to think about
Sylas: What if I told you the kitchen has everything you could want and more?
A smile finds its way on my face. I press my lips together, attempting to kill it.
Me: Is that supposed to entice me?
He doesn’t reply, and I assume he’s gone to bed, so again, I move to set my phone down, but then I get a message from him. It’s not just a text but a video of his kitchen.
I caught a brief glimpse of it when I went over, but I didn’t want to gawk, and now I can and he knows that I will. It’s not a long video, but it’s enough.
I’m practically salivating over his appliances and the immense space. I’ve never been more jealous.
Me: I’ve seen better
Sylas: I’ll have anything you want changed
It shouldn’t shock me since we dated for a while. I know he’ll find a way because he has the money. Still, it stuns me.
Me: Nothing! I’m not going to move in with you. I don’t care about your massive bedroom or kitchen. Stop trying to bribe me
Sylas: Did it almost work?
I shouldn’t be, but here I am, smiling like a dork.
Me: No. I’m going to bed
Sylas: Think about it. The bedroom also has a double walk-in closet. I know how much you love those
Instead of replying, I set my phone down. I do love a walk-in. And the thought of having a bigger room sounds like a dream, but I refuse.
Nothing good can come out of us living together.
“Okay, I can’t do this anymore!” Clementine marches over to the back of the bakery once she’s flipped the sign over. “What the hell is going on with you and Sylas?”
“Yeah, you’ve been really tight-lipped, Anna Maria Lopez!” Jenny screams from the small speaker of Em’s phone.
She holds it up, letting me see my best friend on the small screen.
I turn off the water after I’m done washing the dishes then dry my hands, removing my apron.
They know about me going over to his condo and him coming over on Sundays, but that’s all I’ve shared with them and Maya.
“I’ve not been tight-lipped about anything. There is just nothing to share.” I shrug and make myself busy, putting away the dry dishes.
“Bullshit!” Jenny and Em shout simultaneously.
“Like I told you, Jen, she’s been so weird lately and even weirder since yesterday,” Em says, and proceeds to explain how I’ve been supposedly acting strange.
Since Sylas came back into my life, I don’t know how to…be. Or how to feel for that matter.
What happened to him at his condo, what he said to me on Sunday, and last night’s text messages, it’s been…I don’t know. I didn’t expect any of it.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss him, that there was a time in my life when I didn’t desperately want him back, but the reminder of what happened in his condo is reason enough for us not to ever get back together. And then there’s his parents and knowing he’s probably been with other people.
He has every right to be with whomever he wants, but the awareness stings. I hate that that’s how I feel, how he still has a hold on my heart, but I can’t help it.
I lean against the counter, folding my arms against my chest, debating between sharing or not. “He might have—” They stop talking and stare at me expectantly. I barrel forward before I can change my mind. “He asked me to move in with him after he found out about Joel.”
All hell breaks loose, and they start asking a million questions all at once.
“And,” I cut in, “he might have said he wants me back.”
The questions triple, their voices louder than before. I don’t answer because they’re throwing out so many, I don’t know which to tackle first.
“Well?” Jenny says after they’ve quieted down.
I stare at them, then at my nail that I hadn’t noticed was chipped until now.
“No, I’m not moving in with him. I’m not ever getting back together with him. And that’s all.” I push off the counter and grab my keys and bag from the cubbies. “It’s late and I need to get home.”
Those were the important answers. Everything else is irrelevant.
“You can’t leave now!” Em blocks my path, holding her palm out to prevent me from taking another step. “You can’t just drop that kind of news and not expect us to be curious, because what the hell?”
From her phone, Jenny’s muttering is muffled. Then: “That’s it! I’m calling out of work. I’ll be over—”
“No, don’t do that.” I chuckle at their insistence and desperation to know more. “Look, I shared with you two because you’re my best friends, but that’s all. We were…” A lump lodges in the middle of my throat as a flashback plays in my head.
The tree should have come down a few weeks ago, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to do it. Along with our decorations, his friends have also added trinkets and ornaments.
At first they thought it was strange that we kept it up considering Christmas was a month ago, but it’s grown on them. Even his sister Thea, who isn’t a fan of the holiday, has added metallic tinsel.
“We’re never taking that down.” Sylas hands me a steaming mug, settling on the sectional next to me with his own and staring at our bright tree.
“Fun. We were…”
“Surprise.” He grins. “I hope you meant it because we’re doing this.”
I’m both nervous and giddy. I told him one of the things on my bucket list was to go sky diving and now we’re here, about to do just that.
“Are you kidding me?” I jump on him, excited that I get to do this with him.
“Spontaneous. We were…”
He pulls out of me and flips me over on my stomach, lifting my ass in the air and pushing my chest to the mattress. He slaps one cheek and then the other—hard. It bounces and burns against his palm. It hurts, but it feels so damn good.
“Goddamn, you’re so easy. I wish you could see yourself dripping on my bed.”
I whimper around the ball gag.
“Spread your legs wider. I know you can.”
I easily oblige, needing him inside me.
“Fuck,” Sylas husks, dragging his fingers down my slit before he slaps it. “You’re so wet. I’m going to have so much fun with you.”
“Hot. We were…many things, but we’re over. Things are finally better. Maya’s back. I have you girls. The bakery is doing great, and yeah.” I swallow past the lump, not bothering to fake a smile. “And we’re just not the same people.”
I’m saying good night to Maya when we hear a knock on the door.
We look at each other then the door as the knocking persists.
“Sylas?” She lifts a brow.
“No, he’s got hockey.” He told me that with the preseason about to begin, he would be busy throughout the week, but if I needed anything to text him. I haven’t, but he’s been texting me, asking about Rosie and whether I’m getting enough sleep.
I’m motioning for her to stay where she’s at as I head to the door, grabbing my bat. I look through the peephole and roll my eyes.
I open it a sliver, my fist still wrapped around cool metal. “Yes, Joel?”
“How do you know Sylas?”
I regret opening the door. “I don’t have time for this. Good night.”
He holds a palm up, preventing me from closing it. “Anna, this is a big deal. That’s Sylas Lenoir Al—”
“I’m aware. Night,” I bite out.
He shoves his foot between the crack, keeping the door wedged open. “I shoot home videos. If you and Sylas are into that kind of thing, you could—”
“No.” I jam the end of the bat on his foot hard. He yelps and jolts back, and I quickly shut the door and lock it.
Thankfully he doesn’t bother us, but a few hours later, I hear his bed frame smacking against the wall.
“Joel again?” Em asks when I yawn for the sixtieth time the next day after stepping up to the front as a customer leaves.
He was up for hours last night, the loudest he’s ever been, and woke up Rosie and Maya. We stayed in the living room because most of the noise could be heard from my bedroom.
I know other neighbors have also complained to management, but nothing is being done.
“Yeah, last night he came over and asked if Sylas and I wanted to join him.”
Em gapes at me then laughs. “What did you say?”
“What do you think I said?” I grimace.
“So what are you going to do?” She lifts a brow. Her tone is supposed to come off as innocent, but I know what she’s asking.
“No, I’m not going to move in with Sylas.”
Like yesterday, today was a good day, but it was busy. As much as I love what I do, I’m thankful tomorrow is Sunday. I’m in desperate need of a day off.
Which is why I rush home as soon as we close, ready to shower and sleep, but before I can unlock my front door, I find a folded note taped to it.
Now that I think about it, I saw some other doors tacked with the same paper.
When I head inside and start reading it, I almost scream, but I stop myself knowing Rosie is already sleeping.
“What’s wrong?” Maya studies me, careful eyes charting my face.
“There’s mold,” I clip, breathing harshly. “They’ve found mold in the apartment complex.”