Chapter 39
I drag her to me by the back of her neck, wishing to brand myself on her body, on her heart.
She wraps her arms around me and gives in to my kiss, and I feel her love and desire in every moan.
“You’re mine, princess, from the very first moment. Say it. Say the truth you can’t deny.”
“I’m yours.”
“Yes, you are.”
I lean in to place a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I love you, Abigail, with all of me.”
“I love you too, bulldozer.”
She smiles, and I nudge her neck. “What part of me? My dick? My charming personality? My heart?”
“Oh, charming personality, that’s new.”
I bite back a laugh, and she props on her side, draping a leg over my waist. Eyes locked on each other, my finger caresses her soft cheek.
“What else is on your mind, Abigail?”
“This feels too damn good to be true. I’m afraid I will wake up, and it would have all been a dream.”
“Fear can be good. It’s life’s compass, sweetheart. But I assure you, this is not a dream.”
She tilts her head. “Go to sleep. I have a drawing to finish.”
No, she won’t. Not tonight.
I caress her back, and she sighs, falling asleep.
I’m still energized, feeling so damn happy and content I want to shout it loud enough that it will echo in the universe.
Pulling my jeans on, I go outside, inhaling the fresh air. Calmness descends over me like I’ve never experienced before.
Kaden’s BMW pulls into the parking lot. He steps out, hair disheveled, wearing a wrinkled shirt.
“How is she?” we both ask, chuckling at the same time.
With knowing the truth about Abigail and him came my salvation. I have no reason to loathe this guy.
“Doing better,” he says. “Thank you for being there for Abi.”
“I would have been there from the beginning.”
“Still hate me?”
“The fact that you’re still alive speaks of my good intentions.”
“Have to take a shower and get a fresh change of clothes.” He cracks a smile and goes inside.
I pour myself a glass of water and walk up the stairs when I halt at a figure tiptoeing into a room.
Muffled voices draw my attention, and I approach Mia’s room and hear her say, “You’re a damn coward.”
A door creaks open. I snap my head to find Bailey’s wide eyes.
“What are you doing?” she mouths. I point at the door, making it obvious that I am eavesdropping.
The handle turns, and Bailey disappears behind her door like a ninja.
Blake doesn’t even see me as he descends the stairs. I feel sorry for him. His hooded eyes and sunken head are a clear sign that he’s hurting.
I follow him to the living room.
We sit on the couch, and I say, “So?”
“You’re horrible at this.”
“You leaving?”
He pins me with a stare, and I shrug. The walls are thin, or the doors. Whatever.
“They don’t understand.”
“I’m totally biased here, but you tried to help them by going behind their backs?”
“It’s not as if I betrayed them. I would never do that, but I had to gain those fuckers’ trust. I’m not proud of what I did, but it had to be done. I’m not apologizing for that.”
Hunter steps inside.
“What are you two doing here in the dark?” he asks.
“We’re conserving energy to save the planet.”
Blake lifts an imaginary shot to me, and Hunter says, “Who’s in the mood to get smashed?”
He turns on the light and puts three glasses and a bottle of whiskey on the table.
We’re on our second when Hunter’s eyes blaze on something behind my back. I exchange a knowing look with Blake when Bailey steps inside.
“You’re loud, and I’m trying to sleep.”
“I thought vampires were active at night,” Hunter counters.
“Really, now I’m a vampire. Originality is not your strong suit.”
He downs the glass and pours another one. “I can think of a few other things I could do with my mouth, but you might combust. Don’t want to corrupt you.”
Blake chuckles, and Bailey throws a pillow at him. She leans toward Hunter. Her tongue caresses her lower lip, and he gulps. She tips his chin, takes the glass from his hand, and chugs it.
“Do you know what the difference is between you and this?”
That’s a trap, and the look in her eyes says she’s going in for the kill.
“Enlighten me, kitten.”
Someone bring in the popcorn because this is live entertainment.
“You expect it to burn, but with you, it’s merely a bitter aftertaste.”
Blake rolls over with laughter. I double over.
“Man, she burned you,” Blake says.
Hunter drags her onto his lap, and her eyes widen.
They know we’re still here, right? He has his hands on her ass, and she’s halfway grinding on him. That sexual tension is ready to light up this room.
“What the?” Mia asks, nose scrunching up. Both Hunter and Bailey scoot away from each other.
I have tears in my eyes from so much laughter.
Mia plops in the seat between me and Blake and pours herself a glass.
“So what are we drinking to? I’ll start with cowards,” Mia starts.
Boom. Blake’s face reddens with anger, and he clears his throat. “To the saviors of this world. Truly pitiful. What they don’t get is no one needs to be saved, and they should start leaving other people in peace and start living their life.”
“Guys, this is not how toasts go,” I tell them.
Hunter lifts his glass. I don’t have to be a genius to know he will go in for the next attack.
“I’ll drink to mousey, kitteny, lamb-like girls… They look cute, but are so defenseless, yet they still taunt the wolf. One night he might even come to get a taste.”
What the fuck is happening here?
A light goes on in the hallway. We turn our heads, and Abigail rubs her eyes, coming inside. “Partying without me?”
She moves to take the other seat next to me, but I pull her into my lap, sighing contentedly. “It’s awkward as fuck,” I whisper in her ear.
We’re not like these idiots who don’t know what to do with their feelings.
Bailey lifts her glass and says, “To the ones who are halfway blind, they couldn’t find the way to themselves with a hundred flashlights. We all know them. It’s the look that says, ‘Look at me, how strong I am. I don’t need anyone because I’m so tough and gravelly and shit.’”
She gulps it down, and Abigail’s mouth drops while Mia chuckles.
I’m partially inclined to side with Hunter as Mia enjoys her brother being teased.
“Say that to my face,” he snaps.
“I just did.”
One thing is for sure: they challenge each other, which I think is a good thing. She was this mouse back then. Now, she holds herself stronger.
I grab Abigail’s hand, pull her away, and drag her upstairs. She closes the door behind her. I crash onto the bed, and she helps me peel off my jeans.
“All that sexual tension got to you?”
“Even drunk, you think of sex.”
I chuckle and say, “It was my dirty mouth that got to you.”
“Actually, your bad boy vibe.”
“Really?”
“It was the ‘ah, look at me, here I am, bow and fall at my feet’ kind of attitude.”
“You did fall.”
“Right after you.”
***
When Celine is discharged from the hospital, our group prepares a welcome home party in the living room.
Relief infuses the heavy air with her return home, but there is a big fissure in our group. Blake props his side against the wall, and Hunter leans against the opposite one. Mia and Bailey are on the other side of them.
Abigail holds a confetti cannon in her hand, her eyes flickering with excitement, while blue balloons hang all around.
Confetti explodes in Celine’s face as she and Kaden walk through the front door.
Hunter puts on some music, starts the party, and ignores that not everything is fine. While my eyes lock on Abigail’s, a barrel of thoughts assaults my brain.
You abandoned her.
You should have stayed and fought for her.
You don’t deserve her .
You’re a waste of a man, just like your daddy.
Fuck, those dark thoughts cram into my head, tearing apart my good mood. I’m tipping. I bolt out, but Abigail is right behind me.
My chest heaves. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to fight against the inevitable.
She caresses my back, and every muscle in my body loosens.
“What is it, baby? Talk to me. I’m here. Let the demons out.”
“Why would you want someone like me? They’re always there, like a damn cancer eating at my happiness. I should have been here and stayed by your side. You don’t need someone as fucked as I am. You deserve the best… it’s not me.”
I turn to look at her, but instead of rejection, I see only love and understanding, which makes me weak in my knees.
Lifting onto her toes, she wraps her arms around my neck. “Of course, I need you. You’re my home. You’re the best for me and worthy of me. Remember that and hold on to our love. When your brain goes into that dark place, don’t hide from me. I accept that, and I love you, all of you. Together.”
“Together.”