Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
Adam stomped off and clearly went straight to the gym.
His heavy metal music plays over the speakers at a deafening level. It was good thinking on Reis' part to soundproof this whole floor. We’d have been complained about for sure by now. The heavy thuds of his fists hitting the punching bag are audible from out here.
I know how hard it’s been on him, all of this.
I think we all lusted after Melody from the moment we met her, but Adam…
Adam knew he loved her from that first moment.
He was a shy, skinny kid, so full of emotions and care, that he tried to show her how he felt as much as he could without ever actually saying the words.
Leaving was hard for him. It was hard for all of us, but for Adam, he’s a sensitive soul, and it took him a long time to be okay.
He found solace in tattoos, piercings, boxing, and drumming.
Not us though. At least, not like before.
He’s been different since we left, and now that she’s back, I’m pretty sure it was because he left a piece of his soul behind that day.
It doesn’t surprise me that he went straight to the punching bag. It’ll be a while before he’s done, and we learned long ago that it’s best to leave him alone while he’s in this kind of mood.
Climbing the stairs to the penthouse, I take them two at a time to get to Melody.
I need to see her. I need to see that she’s okay. I need to know she’s here.
I push the front door open and call out, “Melody!”
Silence.
No. She can’t have…
Running through the penthouse, I search everywhere for her, making my way through the house as quickly as I can.
“Songbird! Melody!” I call, opening door after door. Until I reach my bedroom door and tear it open.
And I’m greeted with the most beautiful sight ever gifted to me.
Melody, strewn across my bed, with one of her bare legs hitched up under her, wearing one of our shirts–Adam’s by the look of it–fast asleep.
Her face is scrubbed clean of the makeup she hadn’t had a chance to take off yesterday.
With her beautiful black hair brushed and braided as pieces curl softly around her face.
She looks so innocent, so peaceful, so serene.
A snore rips through her loud enough to wake the dead. I’m so surprised, I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
Such an angelic picture, but her snoring brings a beautiful reality to it.
My Melody.
Gently sitting on the edge of the bed, I ache to touch her. I probably shouldn’t… she needs to sleep. But I can’t help it.
Softly, I tuck a dark lock of hair that had fallen onto her face behind her ear and let my fingers trace her jaw. My fingertips tingle as they brush against the soft skin. God, I’ve missed her more than I knew.
She gasps slightly as she jolts awake. Her dark eyes look wild and fearful as she looks around to make sure she’s safe.
“It’s just me, I’m sorry,” I say quickly to try and soothe her. I can see the moment she realizes it’s me, and calms down, snuggling back into the comfortable spot on the pillow.
“Markus,” she hums dreamily. “You’re back.”
“I am, baby.” I kiss her forehead. “Did you have a good nap? You were snoring loud enough that our soundproofing was tested.”
“I’ve not been sleeping well lately,” she says with a yawn, scooting closer to me.
“You mean that being drugged after being hurt at a rock concert, then staying up most of the day trapezing around New York didn’t help you sleep?
” I tease her. Melody looks at me deadpanned, telling me she’s not impressed, and it makes me chuckle.
“I’m sorry. Hopefully tonight you can actually sleep well.
I promise, I’ll make it a zen experience in here. ”
“Oh, so I have to sleep in your room if I want a good night's sleep?” The corner of her lips tip up in a smirk as an eyebrow rises in challenge.
“I mean, I’ll make sure you sleep well, don’t you worry about that.” I wink. “But there is the matter of payment.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” She asks, repositioning herself so she’s laying on her side, head resting on her folded arm. It makes me so fucking relieved that she’s engaging with me. That she’s open and comfortable. I lean in and cup her chin softly, my thumb grazing over her cheekbone.
“I want to cuddle,” I whisper.
“Cuddle?” She giggles. God, I love that sound. All my best and favorite memories are times when Melody is laughing. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“What?”
“That big, bad boy Markus likes to cuddle.” She teases me, smiling and rolling her eyes like she’s above cuddling. I know she’s not. Melody used to love cuddles, it was always the best part of movie night.
I scoff, but do it with a grin. “I mean, doesn’t everyone like to cuddle? If memory serves me right, you and I cuddled quite a bit in high school.”
The humor is still present on her face, but is laced with the same kind of heat I saw that night in the club.
“I think it means something a little different now,” she says in a sultry, shy way, and her eyes drop down to the sheets.
“I think it’s always meant the same thing.
” I put a finger under her chin and wait for her to make eye contact with me.
“At least, it does for me.” Her breath catches and I watch a million emotions cross her eyes as she tries to make sense of what she remembers and what I’m saying.
I don’t rush her, I wait. I’ll wait however long she needs.
“Markus?” She asks softly, holding my arm.
“Yeah?”
“Did you ever love me?”
Did I ever love her? The immediate answer is yes. And what’s more is that I’m in love with her.
I sigh, and take her hand in mine.
“What I felt for you, Melody,” I start, smiling at her softly, leaning in and kissing her forehead.
“What I feel for you hasn’t changed. I’ve been so gone for you since the moment I saw you.
You were this beautiful, magnetic, sweet, and caring girl who took care of the four of us idiots, and did so with grace and a smile.
And now you’re all those things and more.
The feelings I had for you as a teenager never went away, and they’ve only grown with age and absence.
” Her big brown eyes widen, and her chest heaves with shallow breath.
“I’ve been in love with you for years, Songbird.
I love you. I’m in love with you,” I say strongly, absolute in my feelings.
There’s absolutely no question in my mind how I feel. And we’ve wasted far too much time without each other for me not to fall at her feet now.
“But you left me so easily…” Her eyes turn glassy, and her bottom lip quivers. I can see her trying to figure out what to believe. Maybe she believes my feelings, but she doesn’t believe that what happened won’t happen again.
I can understand that. But I’m never leaving her side willingly again. And that’s something I’ll spend every single day proving to her.
“I was young. Stupid.” I take her hand in mine, threading our fingers together, before bringing up our joined hands and kissing the back of her hand. “But know that all of us regret it. I know I do. Deeply. I’m so fucking sorry, Melody.”
She looks at me through her eyelashes, and tucks our hands to her chest.
“It was hard, Markus. So hard. I was so in love with you guys, and you left me so quickly.
I thought our friendship would at least mean that you guys trusted me, but you left.
All because you apparently overhead something without understanding the full picture.
I was called everything under the sun because of my feelings. Then Reis' mom…”
“What did Reis' mom do?” I ask quickly, confused and protective. I know that after we left Reis called her once, and hasn’t heard from her since.
“Nothing,” Melody mumbles. She throws the blanket off and stands up, moving over to the desk on the opposite wall.
Crossing her arms over her chest, the oversized shirt rides up another inch or so.
Momentarily my focus drops to the new inch of upper thigh she revealed, mesmerized at how close I am to seeing her naked body again.
I wet my lips, wanting to taste her myself.
Fuck, I should’ve helped him get her off with my hand that night.
Then at least I could’ve had her essence on my skin.
I could’ve licked her wetness off my fingers and felt that rush for myself. Next time–
Focus! My mind screams and my eyes flash back up to hers.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She looks down at the ground and her arms drop, bracing herself against the desk.
“It’s okay,” I say, climbing off the bed to walk over to her and rub her upper arms gently. “We don’t have to talk about it. But I think you should. At some point. When you’re ready.” She looks up at me, those dark eyes guarded, but heated.
We will be coming back to Reis' damn mom later. I wonder if Reis knows what she’s talking about. But right now, I want nothing but ecstasy in her eyes.
“Did I understand you correctly?” Her eyes drop to my lips as her mouth opens slightly. It’s alluring. When she runs the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip, I’m barely able to keep my composure.
“Maybe. What about what I said has you confused, baby?” I say softly, quietly so as to not break our bubble.
“You love me.” Her breath brushes against my lips, and I lean into her space a little more. Her breathing, her heavy gaze, her soft skin under my hands, it’s all so hypnotizing. All I can think about is closing the gap between us, and finally tasting her lips again.
“That’s not a question. I loved you then, I love you now, I’ll love you in the future.
I’m completely, totally and entirely in love with you, Melody.
” I confess my love at no louder than a whisper as our lips gradually drift closer until every inch of me touches every inch of her.
My palms slide down her arms until they meet hers, and we thread our fingers together.
Melody’s eyes close but I don’t dare. I’m not missing a moment. Not ever again.