Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Having her sleep over almost feels nostalgic. I remember being little and sharing a bedroom before Dad showed up. And then after he left, having her force me back into her room because all of a sudden it wasn’t appropriate for me and Axel to share the living room. As I got older, I realized she was just lonely.
She loves me, but I don’t think she really sees me as my own person. I’m there to keep her company when she wants, and be pushed away when it’s not convenient.
I close my eyes and try to sleep, but my mind is still whirling with everything that happened today. Her soft snoring feels like a poke in the face every time I hear it. Especially up close, and I already set up the air mattress in the living room for Priest.
I roll over and pick up my phone, hiding the glow under the edge of the blanket. “Are you asleep?” I text him.
“Why aren’t you?” he responds.
Carefully pulling the comforter back, I slide my feet over the edge and sit up as I put them on the floor, watching Mom the whole time. I stand, then tiptoe to the bedroom door, only pausing when she suddenly snorts and rolls over. I hold my breath, hand on the doorknob until her breathing settles down into the same low rumble.
The bedroom door opens silently, and I sneak out, closing it behind me with a soft click. Priest isn’t on the air mattress, or the couch. Is he in the hall bathroom? No, the door is cracked open and the light’s off. I look around. My apartment might be more expensive than I should be spending, but it’s not huge.
Movement in the darkness makes me squint harder at the balcony. He’s just a shadow, but he’s there, sitting on the blanket I left and leaning back against the window with one leg stretched out and the other bent at the knee. There’s a flicker of red, and a small plume of smoke rises from his fingers.
I’m still several steps from the door when he speaks without even turning. “I can hear you, you know.”
“I wasn’t trying to surprise you,” I lie.
So much for that. I should’ve known he was too aware. I pad out onto the balcony and sit next to him, tucking my nightshirt around my thighs. It’s not cold exactly, but the soft breeze has an edge of chill to it. I hug myself and enjoy the view of the city at night. In the distance, lights occasionally blink from ships far out on the water.
“You smoke?” Back when he and Axel hung out, I remember catching them sometimes. I think Dad would buy packs for them.
“Not really.” He can probably feel the weight of my look even in the dark, because he chuckles. “Guilty pleasure. I can take it or leave it, but sometimes on a night like this, it just feels right.”
“I stole a cigarette from Ax once. You guys wouldn’t let me try.”
“How was it?”
“Horrible. I’m sure I did it wrong, but I was probably eight or something. What I remember most was wondering what the point of getting good at something so disgusting was.”
He takes one last drag and crushes the end on the railing to put it out. “Sorry.”
I lean my head against his arm. “No, it’s okay. I’m not a fan exactly, but I know what you mean. The smell reminds me of summer nights with the window open, knowing that you guys were outside.”
“Wanna go inside?”
I shake my head. “No. It’s nice out here. Quiet. And I can’t hear Mom snore.”
He laughs softly, then shifts to put his arm over me and rest my head on his chest. “How’re you holding up? That was some fucked up shit today, and you didn’t get much time to process it.”
“I think I’m okay. The attack happened so fast, and Sinner was right there. It was all over almost before I even knew what was happening. The really scary part is knowing that someone is trying to hurt me, or at least scare me. Mom set up a meeting tomorrow with someone who’s supposed to be good at this sort of thing.”
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Priest snaps, with a bit of a growl in his voice.
“No! I know. He’s more for the media side I think, and to organize everything.” I slide my arms around him and lean into his warmth. I can feel his heart beating, strong and steady. “Can I ask you something?” I’m treading dangerous ground here, but it feels like the right time.
“Of course.”
“What are we doing?”
He lets out a brief exhale, like a little laugh. “Gonna have to be more specific, Q.”
Gathering courage, I clutch him just a little harder. “The other night, I really wanted you to kiss me. That wasn’t just me, right?”