Page 75 of Possession

No.

She is forever.

She hates you.

The ghosts twisted my thoughts, lied to me, and told me things I never wanted to believe.

“Declan, tell me about Paige?” The doctor’s voice taunted the devil in my head.

My jaw ached as I grit my teeth trying to remember, trying to see past the flame, and fog, and smoke. The pressure built in my knuckles as I squeezed my fists and said, “She hates me.”

I’d lost myself in the past, in the memories I’d had, in the reality I’d lived for so long without her. I ran my hand through my hair and turned to face Kieran.

“I won’t lose her again… that place… I almost let the shit in my head devour the last good thing… the last memory. I don’t care where, I just need to see her, and if going to her place gets me there faster then that’s where I’m going.” My eyes fixed on his and he nodded.

“Alright,” Liam said.“The doctor set up some appointments for you tomorrow. New patient intake, and med reconciliation. She gonna take you? It’s at nine in the morning.”

“I’m sure she would.” I hadn’t spoken to her in three weeks. I hadn’t wanted her to hear my voice, or the vacant black that would’ve spilled from my lips. I hadn’t wanted her to see the beast inside me.

“She’s been coming to the shop every day since you missed your discharge date.” Liam frowned. “I think she thinks you’re hiding from her. She started crying when I called her today to tell her we were on our way to pick you up.”

My stomach fell. “She cried?”

Kieran cleared his throat, and said, “I know you thought keeping her away for her own good was the right thing, but—”

“But she’s been fucking nuts.” Liam looked at me again. “Get your apologies ready, Dex, she’s gonna want them.” He gave me a lopsided smile before turning his eyes onto the road.

“I’m going to ask her to move in with me.”

The car came to an abrupt stop. My eyes flicked up to the red light and then to Liam. His dark irises trained on me. “What?”

Kieran leaned forward again. “No way, Declan, you need to take care of—”

“I want her with me. We’ve been apart long enough.That apartment… it’s mine too, and I pay half, just like Liam. I’m feeling better. I’ve got a doctor who knows what the fuck he’s doing... I’m a goddamn man, and I’m tired of being treated like at any minute I’m going to fracture.”

Liam’s glare softened.

“They already broke me, Liam… and I know…” My throat threatened to close off. “I know you saw it… I know they let you see me at my worst, but seeing it isn’t living it. I’ll never go there again. Paige, she’s the last piece… she’s just as important… without her… meds don’t fucking matter.”

The light turned green, but he didn’t move. We were stopped on a slow street, and at the moment we were the only car. “What I saw in the hospital…” Liam shook his head trying to wipe away the bad memories. “You’re good, Declan, you always have been. You work hard, you create things no one ever could, and you’re a badass when it comes to ink. If this is what you need, if this will keep you happy, it’s your home, Dex, you do what you want.”

A car honked behind us and Liam let off the brakes and moved forward.

“Thank you.” I let myself smile as he nodded.

Kieran exhaled and rested his back into his seat. “Do you think she’ll say yes?” he asked.

“I have no idea.” But I hoped.

My hand shook as I raised it to the doorbell. About ten minutes ago, I’d texted Paige telling her that we were almost to her house. My head was turned, watching Liam drive away when the front door opened. Her scent filled my lungs as I inhaled, and the light sound of a gasp brought my gaze to her wide eyes. The plane of her cheeks were pink, and her bottom lip was trapped between her teeth. Paige’s hair was wet and the blonde tendrils spilled across her shoulders. My breath captured itself into small clouds within the cold air as I struggled for something to say.

She shivered and wrapped her hands around her body. I’d like to think it was because she was cold, but as I stepped closer to the doorway, she hugged herself tighter as if she was bracing herself, protecting herself from me. The acid in my stomach turned. My brothers were right, I shouldn’t have kept her away as long as I had.

“You’re freezing.” I lifted my hand and took a piece of her hair between my thumb and finger.

“I just got out of the shower.” Her words were quiet, but her voice filled me with courage. I’d missed the sound of it more than I’d thought.

She was wearing an oversized, black and red University of Utah sweatshirt and yoga pants.

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