Page 79 of Lock Up the Darkness

Asher hadn’t mentioned what had happened, beyond one single text addressing it very briefly.

Asher: Well done. I’m impressed.

And Killian, who apparently had no idea what had happened in the house that day, had sent me a couple asking why I wasn’t in class, then persisted when I hadn’t answered, until I’d had to assure him that I was fine.

I opened up the latest one.

Killian: Color me surprised when I sat in your section and you weren’t the one who served me. Your stand-in told me you’re still sick? Got a doctor on call, gonna send him over to you.

Shit.

Aurora: No need. Stomach bug almost gone.

Something squeezed in my chest, and I found myself sending a follow-up.

Aurora: Thanks, though.

Killian: Ok. Standing down.

I breathed a sigh of relief, then rested my head back against my pillows, getting lost in my show, just letting everything go… just for a little while.

I felt the painkillers kick in, a wave of relief and peacefulness rolling over me… and then I was out, my eyes closing, much-needed sleep taking me.

* * *

I jolted awake at a sharp rap coming from downstairs.

What the hell?

Nobody came out this way, nobody bothered me here.

Only three people knew I lived out here—three psychos, but psychos who needed me, so who weren’t a threat anymore. And my employer, Fusion. The guys preferred me to come to them, not the other way around. And I didn’t want them here. Some of my personal comforts were here that I didn’t want them being aware of. They couldn’t see any humanity to me, or any sort of soft side.

Through the confusion of just waking up, the meds still strong in my system, and the unprecedented knocking, it took me time to realize that my phone was buzzing like crazy.

I strained to reach it.

By the time I did, I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs.

Coming down the hallway.

Shit.

I reacted on instinct, lunging for my nightstand to grab one of my knives. My gun would’ve been better, especially in my currently injured state, but it would take too long than the mere seconds I had to unlock it from its safe.

A scream tore from my throat as my sudden, jerky movements pulled my stitches.

I slapped my hand to my side and felt that unsettling stickiness. As I pulled it away, my fingers were slick with blood.

My bedroom door flew open, the force and urgency behind it making it smack into the wall with a resounding thud.

All the breath rushed from my lungs.

And then I took in the sight of that familiar green hoodie.

“Killian?” I breathed. “What the… what the shit are you doing here?”

He flipped his hood down, his eyes wide as he took me in.

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