Page 82 of Dark Love

My mood shifts. “I’ve gotta go.”

“Everything okay?” Vex’s voice goes hard.

“Fine. I just need to get back to work.”

“See you Friday.”

Adonis leans against the doorway, watching me with his arms folded.

“See you then.” I click off and look up at him expectantly.

“I’m glad to see you called a friend. You have a little color in your cheeks now. I sent the file over to our tech guys. They’re going to see if they can trace thecaller. But I wouldn’t worry about it. Most of these weird calls don’t turn into anything.”

The way my life has gone lately, I’ll be the one in a million. “Thanks for taking care of it.”

“Anytime. That’s my job.”

***

“We working together again?” Max walks into my backyard.

“It seems that way.” I spent far too long this evening staring up at the ceiling again. Tonight, I’m going to get work done. “How’s the jet lag?”

Max sits down next to me and flips open his computer. “Not getting better fast enough.”

“Does it ever?”

“You travel?” He shakes his head. “Sorry, you seem a bit like a homebody.”

“I am.” I’d never leave the house if I had a choice. “My mom believed her children needed to see the world. So, every year we spent three weeks in the summer traveling.” Most of the time without my dad because he had to work, but he’d always spend a week or two with us.

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Those were good memories.”

Good memories should help me sleep. But nothing seems to replace Vex’s arms.

Focus on work. Ignore the rest. I settle my fingers on the keys and lose myself in my work.

***

My whole body shifts, waking me up. “What’s going on?”

“Shh. You’re safe. I’m just carrying you to bed,” Max whispers.

I settle in and fall back to sleep.

Personal Business

Vex

Waking up to an empty bed gets worse every morning. Dahlia in my arms felt right. I slide up into a sitting position and stare out at the city.

We aren’t even officially a couple, and I want her to spend every night here.

There’s something wrong with my head.

I should have called her yesterday, but I didn’t want even the thought of her tainted with the rage yesterday built in me. There’s no reason to wait even a moment longer. I message her.

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