Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Dark
Through the slats in the door, morning light filters in, casting beams across a sleeping Iris, curled into a ball on the floor, with a little opossum sleeping on her hip.
This stubborn woman has been asleep for hours.
So peaceful and beautiful, sucking on her bottom lip every now and again.
A smile. Then a frown. She must be dreaming.
I haven’t slept a wink.
I can’t.
Not because I shared my history with a woman I don’t know.
Not because I’m going to die.
It’s so much worse than that.
When Iris came to my room last night, I was thinking of her and wishing she was here. Then it was as if I blinked, and she appeared like an angel in the night. Her mere presence is a balm I sure as fuck don’t deserve.
Something about her terrifies me.
No. Not something.
Everything.
The door to my room opens, letting out a low morning groan on its rusted hinges.
A dark head of hair peeks inside to find Iris asleep on the cold floor.
Frowning, her sister swings her gaze to me and snarls.
It’s silent, but I see the flash of teeth and the curl of her upper lip. The hatred brewing. The disgust.
And I don’t give a fuck.
I’m not afraid of her.
As long as she’s nice to Iris, I don’t care how she acts toward me.
Holding a finger to my lips, I flick my gaze to her sister, urging her to keep quiet for Iris’s sake.
Something in the woman’s eyes flashes in surprise before she flips me off and closes the door just as gently as she opened it.
Sagging against the wall, I sigh in relief.
Thank fuck for small miracles.