Page 72 of Severance

I roll over to the side and grab my phone, hoping to find a message from him. Instead, there’s one from Jess.

It’s almost nine and hearing my parents’ hushed voices coming from downstairs seems odd because my father’s usually not home at this hour. Unless something’s happened.

My mother and I were up all night creating the perfect cheesecake, and for the first time since the attack, baking felt good. At the moment, though, my feelings are more of a mixed bag, mainly due to the silence on Mikah’s part. But I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, he’s in Seattle on business.

Shaking off my concern, I glance back at my phone and click on the message from Jess. It’s a link to a Wikipedia page.Dakota’sWikipedia page.At the very bottom, there’s a note indicating the most recent edit was made last night at nine thirty.

20. Before

“Close your eyes,” Dakota whispers in my ear, resting his chin on my shoulder. His hot breath tickles the side of my face and a whole field of goose bumps rise on my neck.

I do as he says and let the rumble of the waterfall raging in front of us take over my senses. It’s magnificent and resilient. Wanting to stay alive, even in this weather. Even in this kingdom of snow and ice where everything else around is frozen solid and dead until the return of spring.

I find it really strange that in the entire eighteen plus years of my life, I haven’t seen Multnomah Falls in winter. During the summer, with the forest sparkling green and the sky clear and sunny, yes. Multiple times. But not in December. And I never would have thought of it if Dakota hadn’t brought me.

“Listen.” He tightens his grip around my waist, pressing his broad chest against my back. The sound of his voice, smoky and soft, blending with the roar of the water is lullaby beautiful.

“What am I listening to?” I ask, clutching his wrists for support. The weakness in my knees has become sort of permanent when he’s around.

“Just listen,” he rasps, the length of his body gently pushing me forward until my stomach hits the icy railing of the bridge we’re standing on.

I gasp and snap my eyes open, my poor heart plummeting to my stomach at the sight of the swirling water below my feet.

Dakota laughs. “I’m not dropping you, silly.” His lips slide across my cheek. “Don’t you trust me by now?”

“I know… I’m just…” I sound meek because I can’t quite find the right words to express everything that I’m feeling. With him, it’s all been like an endless flight through the sky, scary and fascinating, and I’m wondering if there’s a crash approaching or if this is what it’s going to be like for as long as we’re together.

Today I let him pick me up from my place instead of Jess’s because my parents had already left for a day trip to Vancouver to see some of my mother’s friends.

“You have to give it some time before it speaks to you,” Dakota says mysteriously, brushing his cheek against mine.

“Should I do it again?” I ask, watching the water tumbling down the cliff.

“Yes, do it again. And no peeking or cheating this time.” He presses me against the railing a bit harder.

“Okay.” I shut my eyes and rest my head against the crook of his neck.

The noise of the waterfall begins to slowly consume me. At first, it’s just a clamor inside my head and the stinging-cold drizzle touching my cheeks. Tiny and a little unkind to my skin, each drop razorblade crisp. A reminder of how fragile and how insignificant we are. And how dominating winter can be.

Dakota’s hands linked with mine feel hot against my chest. There’s something exceptionally sincere about the way he hugs me. Lustful yet caring. Bigger than just affection. Bigger than us. Bigger than the world. I think if he were to ask me to jump with him right now, I probably would because no one has ever made me feel so complete and happy. This single moment of true joy that some people don’t ever get to experience is probably worth the sacrifice. Worth dying for.

“Are you cold?” Dakota says quietly after a while. His voice is smooth as velvet and I’m wondering if the legends got it wrong and sirens are actually not females, because my boyfriend might very well be one. Not only does he sing beautifully, but he also has the rare ability to turn me into jello with the snap of a finger.

“No.” I shake my head, relaxing against him with my eyes still closed.

He brushes his hand over the tip of my nose. “You’re going to turn into a snowflake any second now, Moonchild.”

“Then you’ll have to carry me to the car.” I giggle, my breath melting into his palm. Despite our multiple layers of warm winter clothes, the curves of our bodies fit perfectly together. As if we were made for each other. And I can’t help but wonder how he’d feel against me naked.

The rumble of the water is still thumping in my ears when my eyes drift open.

“Then I guess I’ll have to.” Dakota spins me to face him and lifts me off the ground.

Squealing, I grasp the fabric of his coat as he throws me over his shoulder. “You’re going to drop me!” My heart flips along with my body.

“I would never.” He wraps his arms around my thighs to keep me in place and picks up the pace. My feet dangle in the air helplessly and I pray to God we make it to safety without falling into the water.

The deep snow crunches beneath Dakota’s boots as he rockets toward the end of the bridge and takes a narrow trail that will lead us back to the parking lot. We’re at a fork in the path when his foot catches on some debris hidden under the snow. He loses his balance and we summersault down the hill like rag dolls.

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