Page 37 of Brightness

Ivy turns to face me, her brows scrunched together. “Of course, Void. No matter what weird stalemate we’re in right now, I do care about you.”

I bring my bloodied hand up to caress her gorgeous face. “You’re beautiful.”

Her eyes widen as Nerve steps up into the driver’s side of the cab and hands me my cell. “I’m gonna drive. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t tank on the way home,” he says to Ivy.

I lean my head back, tired as fuck, sore as hell, and completely the fuck out of it. I don’t think I hit my head, so I doubt I have a concussion. Seems like a good time for a nap. It won’t be as good as the nap I had this morning with Ivy, but she’s right here, so maybe it might be as peaceful.

Closing my eyes, I move my hand out to link with hers. She doesn’t hesitate to thread her fingers with mine.

There’s my sweet thing.

Chapter Ten

VOID

My eyes flutter open. My head pounds, my body aches like a motherfucker, and I grimace when I try to move. Not to mention the hangover I’m now sporting, thanks to all the booze and weed I ingested.

Nice going, dickhead.

I glance down. My shirt is off, my ribs a shade of deep purple and red. I take in my forearms covered in dressings, and as I peer further down, my legs are bare. I’m wearing boxer briefs, and my shins are wrapped in bandages.

I groan and move to sit, but my head spins.

“Stop!” a concerned voice yells out, and it shocks the hell out of me, as well as making my head pound harder. I turn as Ivy moves from the desk chair opposite me to the edge of the bed.

I didn’t even realize she was here.

Even now that my head is slightly clearer than it was earlier, she’s still fucking perfect.

Ivy reaches out, gently easing me back onto the bed. “You need to rest. You have some serious road rash, and Nerve is pretty sure you’ve cracked a rib or two.”

Exhaling, I sink back into the soft pillows and gaze up at her. “How long have I been out?”

She touches my stomach, my muscles clenching beneath her electrifying touch, and I bite back a moan of pain. “Hours… I don’t know how many exactly. I fell asleep for a while, but I’ve spent the time making sure you came down okay.”

Goddamn!

“I didn’t mean for it to interact like that. I… I just didn’t care.”

She draws her bottom lip in with her teeth. “Because of me?”

“I can’t put the blame on you, Ivy. I drank too much, then ate two of Trixie’s macarons, and she warned me. It was my choice. This isn’t your fault.”

Ivy huffs, then stands back, confusion written over her face. “What are we doing, Void?”

My brow furrows in response. “I don’t know.”

“I’m gonna be straight with you…” My eyes widen, slightly taken aback. She’s always so assertive. It’s one of the many qualities I adore about her. “When I overheard Nerve taking your call and I thought you were hurt, I’ve never felt such panic in all my life.”

“You were worried about me?”

She scoffs. “I was petrified you were going to die, and things between us would be left in this weird limbo. I hate this, Void. This chasm you built between us. How did we get like this?”

I can’t lie here for this talk, even though my body’s screaming at me not to move. With a grimace, I attempt to sit, and Ivy’s eyes widen as she tries to stop me. Pushing her hand away, I shift up the bed, my muscles pulling and burning every inch of me. I try to hold in a groan, but I’m not entirely successful.

Eventually, I find a more comfortable position, then look her in the eyes. “Ivy, this distance between us is all on me. It’s nothing you’ve done. You’re perfect. Actually, too fucking perfect.”

“I don’t understand. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

---