Chapter 57
fifty-seven
Thunder claps, and I turn over to reach for Reyna, needing to feel her warm, soft skin against mine. I blink into the dark, heart rate kicking up when I realize she’s not in bed.
“Rey?” I whisper-shout, sitting up.
I shake Brex’s shoulder. “Hey. Wake up.”
He grunts, rolling onto his back. “What?” he huffs, voice thick with sleep.
“It’s Reyna. She’s not here.”
That gets his attention. He sits up, glancing down at the empty space between us. “Where—?”
“I don’t know,” I growl as I get out of bed, pulling on my boxers. “Check the bathroom.”
Brex moves quickly, throwing on his boxer briefs before disappearing out the door and into the hall.
My mind races as I pick up my phone from the nightstand.
No messages.
Tossing the phone on the bed, I scan the room, looking for some sort of clue I might’ve missed and check the closet.
Why would she leave? Did something happen?
“Not in the bathroom,” Brex calls, his voice tight with concern. “Don’t freak out yet. We need to check the rest of the house.”
The rain suddenly kicks into high gear, coming down hard. Something doesn’t feel right. She wouldn’t just leave without saying anything. Not after last night. Would she?
I race down the hall, Brex’s heavy steps not far behind.
“I’ll see if her truck is still outside.”
“Good. I’ll check the living room.”
But when I get there, what I see has me stopping dead in my tracks.
The sliding glass door is partially open, rain splattering against the tile just inside the threshold.
Through the window, I can see Reyna kneeling, hair plastered to the side of her face. Her clothes are soaked, and she’s hunched forward, shoulders shaking. Even through the haze of rain streaming down the glass, I can tell she’s crying.
What the hell?
“Brex,” I bark, sliding the door open as she starts to stand. “She’s out here.”
“Jesus,” he says, voice gruff as we step out into the downpour.
The rain hits hard, cold and sharp against my bare chest and back. I don’t give a shit. In seconds, I’m across the yard.
I come to a halting stop before her as Brex crowds against her back.
“Angel.”
Shivering, she looks up and opens her eyes as Brex wraps his arms around her waist. “Pretty. What are you doing out here?”
I move in close to help keep her warm and block out as much of the rain as I can.
Rain streaks down my face as I blink water from my lashes. “Did you have another dream?”
Her lower lip trembles as a shudder runs through her whole body. Brex tightens his arms, tucking her tightly against his chest.
“I j-just...” she stutters. “…N-need a minute.”
The way she’s looking up at me has my stomach twisting in knots.
Brex and I exchange a worried look. Jaw tight, he rests his chin on top of her head, raising an eyebrow that says, Don’t push.
I get it. I do. But the sight of her soaked to the bone, crying like her heart is breaking, is fucking killing me.
“W-will you s-stay?” Teeth chattering, water pours down her face like that one scene from The Notebook.
Yeah, I’ve seen it. I’m kind of sappy like that. Sue me.
“Yeah, Angel,” I murmur, working to keep my voice steady and reassuring, even though every instinct I have is screaming at me to pick her up and carry her back inside.
“Always, Pretty.”
Wrapping her in our arms, she sobs into my chest.
Another crack of thunder rolls across the sky, but I don’t move.
Neither does Brex. We stay, forming as much of a barrier around her as best we can.
Cold seeps into my bones, water running down my back, but I don’t give a single fuck.
I’ll stand out here for the rest of my life if that’s what she needs.
After a couple of minutes, her shivering gets even worse, and I can’t take it anymore. “Enough.”
Brex steps back, and I bend down, scooping her up into my arms. Reyna doesn’t fight. Just tucks her face against my neck, pressing her cold nose against my skin.
Rain stings my eyes as we trudge across the grass and into the house.
Water drips, pooling at our feet onto the tile as Brex slides the door shut behind us, clicking the latch into place. “I’ll go start the shower.”
“But—” Reyna’s voice is small as she trembles in my arms.
“Not up for debate, Rey,” I growl, tightening my grip as I carry her down the hall and into the bathroom. Her teeth are chattering so hard I can actually feel the vibration.
Quickly moving ahead, Brex ducks into the bathroom and the shower kicks on, water slapping against tile.
Steam is already starting to curl from behind the glass door as I carefully set Reyna down and press my hips against hers, holding her up against the sink. She’s shaking so bad, I doubt she’ll be able to stand on her own two feet.
“Arms up,” I growl, gripping the hem of her soaked sweatshirt.
She lifts her arms as I peel the wet fabric up and over her head, letting it fall to the floor with a heavy slap.
Naked now, Brex moves in, and I take a step back, letting him take over so I can shed my boxers. He tugs her sweats down her legs with one hand, bracing the other at her hip as she steps out, shivering.
Goosebumps cover every inch of her skin as I wrap my arms around her, her back to my chest. Brex holds the shower door open, steam billowing into the room as I duck-walk Reyna inside and under the spray. The space is barely big enough for the three of us, but we make it work.
She sighs as Brex gently grips her waist, holding her steady as I reach for the shampoo.
As I massage her scalp, she lets out a shaky breath that sounds like a combination of a sob and sigh of relief as Brex presses a kiss to her shoulder.
When I’m done, I cup her face, tilting it up to mine, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Feel better, baby?”
Red-rimmed and tired, Reyna’s gaze meets my worried one. “I need you.” Her desperate plea turns my whole world upside down. “Both of you.”
I give her a solemn nod as Brex murmurs, “Anything for you, Pretty.”