Page 81 of Tore Up

Dream Bane and the real Bane were the same.

On the walk to the kitchen the next morning, I was a mix of nerves and uncertainty. I’d barely gotten any sleep after Bane left. My eyes had stayed on the door as I willed him to come back. Talk to me. Touch me.

Than was standing at the fridge when I walked in and leaned back to look at me and smile.

“Mornin’, little momma,” he called.

Oz was sitting on a stool, eating and looking down at his phone. He barely glanced at me and gave me a slight nod.

“Good morning,” I said, feeling immediate disappointment that Bane wasn’t in here.

“Did you check your texts?” Than asked me as he pulled the milk out, then closed the door.

I always forgot to look at my phone. I shook my head.

“Figured. Grissele is coming to get you in an hour. You’ve got a shopping day ahead of you.”

Oh. I’d wanted to stay here and wait for Bane.

“Okay,” I replied.

“Don’t look too thrilled,” he replied with a chuckle. “I’ll take it as a compliment. You would rather go with me to the distillery. I know you missed me.”

I had actually forgotten about going with him to work. All I seemed to be able to focus on was Bane. I managed a smile.

“Here is your breakfast,” he said, opening the oven warmer to pull it out. “I think Wilma said there was a smoothie to go with it. Wait a sec.”

I walked over to where he’d set my plate, not wanting to eat anything.

“Here you go,” he said as he placed a pink smoothie in front of me.

“Bane leave?” Ransom asked, walking into the kitchen.

Just hearing his name had my complete attention.

“Gone,” Oz said simply, not looking up.

“Gone where?” Ransom asked.

“Away,” he replied.

Ransom frowned. “No shit. Where is he? When will he be back?”

“Don’t know.”

My gaze swung from Oz to Ransom, silently willing him to push for more information. When he didn’t and walked to the coffee machine instead, I took my breakfast and sat down.

Bane wasn’t here. Did he not want to talk about last night? Or all the other nights? I wasn’t mad at him. Was that it? He thought I’d figured it out and I was going to be upset?

I had to talk to him. Tell him exactly hownotupset I was. Washing his dried cum from my body this morning in the shower had made me feel … sad.

“Sorry about last night,” Than told me, taking the stool on the other side of me.

It took me a minute to figure out what he was talking about, and then I remembered the party. The naked girls. That had all been forgotten.

“It’s okay. It’s your house. After being gone on a job, I’m sure you had steam to blow off,” I tried to say nonchalantly.

A laugh came from Ransom, and I looked over at him. His grin confused me. What was so funny? Oz made a noise in his throat that sounded like a deep chuckle. I turned to him and saw his lips were tugged up slightly in the corners.

---