Page 73 of Verses Of Us

INSOMNIA

Alexis

Thatnight,sleepdidn’tcome.

Alexis struggled with the internal demons summoned by seeing Ciarán. She resisted them, trying to pry the hold they had on her heart, but she lost the battle.

Eventually, she gave up and turned the television on, hoping some mindless droning of a late-night sitcom or talk show would lull her to sleep. She settled on one of the few movie channels the hotel offered, but paid little attention to what was on screen. Her eyes were heavy, her body stiff.

Then her phone rang. Startled by the shrill ringing sound, she jumped up, the remote falling off the bed. It was past midnight. The only people who would call must have a reason to.A bad reason, she worried, her stomach lurching. It could be her mother, she thought, once again confused by the time difference.

“Hello?” she answered, her throat strangled by dread.

“Lex?” The gravelly voice was still too familiar and her heart stopped.

“Ciarán?”

She should hang up.

“Yeah.”

“Why are you calling so late?”

Sheknewshe should hang up.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Me neither,” she admitted, then asked, “Wait. How did you get my number?” She heard him chuckle. “Julie?”

“Julie,” he confirmed.

Alexis huffed, pulling the phone away from her ear. The screen was lit up with the wordsNo Caller ID.

“You thought it was a good idea to call me in the middle of the night?”

“You said you couldn’t sleep.”

“But you didn’t know that until I told you.”

“No, I didn’t.” She heard the grin in his voice.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. A headache crept in; one she blamed on the late hour. “What do you want, Ciarán?”

“Meet me for a drink.”

“I think I already said no.”

“I mean now.”

“Now? You’re not serious.”

“I am.”

She paced the room. “You’ve lost your mind.”

“That may be,” he said with a soft chuckle. “The offer still stands.”

“I’m leaving in a few hours.”

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