Page 218 of Black Bird

“Hey, twat-waffle …” Rhaena grinned, stepping inside. Wren didn’t appear to have many words left as she cried a little harder, and tackled Rhaena. Denver scurried back into the living room. “I brought you your car keys. It’s parked on the upper level. Didn’t wanna spoil the surprise.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Wren sniffled, wiping her nose. “Thank you all, so much.”

Athan felt the strangest warmth standing here with all of them, and it threatened to chip away at his brooding facade. He shifted uncomfortably and smirked at Wren.

“Alright. I’m outta here. This shit is way too sappy for me.” He started to turn, and every single one of them—including Jenkins, made an over exaggerated attempt to smother him in affection. His back pressed against the wall, and everywhere he looked, there were arms reaching around to hug him. “No!” he yelped, wrestling them off. “It’s too much! Bunch of fuckin’—get!”

CHAPTER 40

NEVERMORE

The chill of the cold in this apartment was finally easing. Even more so when Sarah picked up a black, hooded jacket with an extremely familiar smell—one she couldn’t place and pulled that over her head instead of a t-shirt. It was his, and she knew that. Something about wearing his clothes felt so much more intimate, and she savored every look he gave her whenever she borrowed his shit. She stepped out of her small bathroom in that jacket, and a pair of underwear, glancing at the window as snow started falling over Boston. Athan was shirtless and leaning against the mountain of pillows against her headboard with his knees raised, while Poe perched on his chest. He was nuzzling the breast of the bird with his knuckle and mimicking every sound Poe made. A very chatty—fuckingadorableconversation.

“Snow on Christmas Eve,” Sarah breathed, padding towards the bed with a cup of coffee. Athan glanced up, distracted by what she was wearing. His eyes lingered, not on her bare legs … but on the jacket. “What’s the matter?”

“Where’d you find that?” he asked, sliding his finger under Poe’s feet and raising off the bed to sit him on his perch stand.

“It was in a basket by the washing machine. It smells like you. Sorry, if that’s weird.” He eased back down, joining her as she sat on her knees on the old blanket.

“I—” he started, seeming more and more uncomfortable. “I should have burned that.”

Sarah glanced down at the front of the hoodie, and then back at him, brows furrowed. “Why?” He audibly swallowed, growing a little more tense. “If you’re about to tell me it was an old lover’s or something, I—”

“It’s not … you know better than that.”

“Then what?” she asked, scooting closer. He slid a hand up her tattooed thigh.

“That’s … that’s the jacket I was wearing that night in the alley. The night that I—” he cut himself off and lowered his eyes to where his hand rested on her leg.

“Oh …” Sarah bit down on her lip. “That’s what the smell is.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, looking way too ashamed.

“Hey.” She took his hand and raised it to her mouth, kissing his fingertips. When he looked up at her, his eyes looked incredibly sad. “Do you really still believe that I’m upset about it? You know I’m not. Not anymore.”

“It’s not that. I’m just …”

“Athan …” Sarah crawled over him, sitting in his lap while he leaned back against the pillows. “You ready for your Christmas present?” A smile crept across his mouth, and he looked at her with that molten stare. She rolled her eyes. “It’s not that … you pervert.”

“Aww …” he stuck his lip out.

“It’s my forgiveness,” Sarah breathed, leaning forward and taking the side of his face while she pressed her head against his. “I’ve had my time to be upset about what you kept from me. I’ve had my tantrum, and I’ve had my time to figure out what I really want out of my life.” Athan curled his fingers into her hair and swallowed. “It doesn’t really even need to be said, but … I wantyou. I want this,” she said as she gestured around the apartment. “I want a future where we’re not running from anything. Where you can have this freedom to experienceus.”

“I’ve never deserved you.”

“Yes, you have. Youdo.” Her voice dropped into a whisper over his mouth. “That night in the alley isn’t a stain on what we’ve got, Athan. It was the moment you woke up from this nightmare. It was the moment I woke up from mine, and any time you think about it from here on out … I want you to remember it as that perfect, complicated thing that brought us together. Nothing else.”

“You’re incredible, Sarah St. James.”

“I hope so … cause you’re fucking stuck with me now.” He smiled against her mouth and kissed her, deep and longing—like the one they had in his apartment the night she read his journal. It escalated quickly, and she was irritated when he pulled away, making sure that he knew it when she glared at him in frustration. “The return policy is solid, asshole. All sales are final.”

Athan snorted and nipped her jawline. “Oh, I won’t be returning anything. You’re stuck with me, too. I’ve got you a little something as well.”

Sarah leaned back while he reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the figurine he’d bought at Wren’s tattoo shop. “You’re a re-gifter? Athan that’s just shameful.” He chuckled and handed it to her.

“I was gonna wait until tomorrow morning, but this feels like a moment … so.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “It’s just as lovely as the last time you gave it to me.”

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