Page 132 of Mine to Worship

Even when my heart was breaking, all I wanted was for him to be bound to me. Love is crazy––love made me crazy, but it was worth it, and it has strengthened us.

When my eyes flutter open, I peer at two gray eyes with flickers of green and a wide and mesmerizing smile from the screen of my phone.

“Good morning,” Kian greets me.

“And look at the miracle. We survived the night. Who would have thought?” I make a dramatic show at sweeping a hand over my body.

“Smart ass. How are you feeling?”

“Rested. Do you think this is a sign she’ll let us sleep through the night once she gets here?”

“Oh, I pray for that.”

“You don’t pray.”

“That’s how important it is to me!”

I giggle then my head snaps when I hear a door slamming against the wall downstairs, and keys thumping on the floor.

“I have to check this out,” I tell him.

“Of course you have to. I mean, how can I expect you to stay put? Take me with you.”

“Paranoid much? You have guards at the entrance. Who would break in? It’s as safe as it gets. It must be Brandon.”

“For his sake, I hope it is.”

I roll my eyes at Kian while he raises an eyebrow. He can be so infuriating. I drop my phone on the bed and head downstairs where I find Brandon, drunk as a skunk, eyes bloodshot, wobbling on his feet with Mikaela holding him up.

“He insisted he needs to watch over you. He couldn’t even watch over himself right now.”

“See,” he slurs, squinting his eyes at me.

“Brandon,” I say and cover my mouth. I take the stairs down and he leans onto me. “Thank you, Mikaela,” I say with a forced smile, because Brandon is heavier than he looks. “I have him.”

Mikaela eyes Brandon, a myriad of feelings shimmering in her eyes, but she blinks and they vanish.

“I can stay,” she offers.

“I can manage from here, but thank you for bringing him home.”

At the door, she halts and asks, “Will he be okay?”

I sigh and shrug. She takes another glance at him, then reluctantly closes the door behind her.

“Okay, mister, shower and sleep.”

“No, sleep.”

Brandon can’t even stand so there is no way I can carry him into the shower. I regret sending Mikaela away. I help him into the guest room, and he falls face first on the bed.

“Stay with me,” he begs, his words muffled by the pillow.

I climb next to him, his hazel eyes glassy and unfocused, and he says, “You love me, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do.”

“And Kian too?”

---