Page 101 of Falling in Love with A Tiny Bat

Framed by wisps of dark strands, he looks drawn straight from one of my games. Artistically sculpted with enticement in mind. I have never seen someone so beautiful.

My touch finds his skin once more, planting firm against his back.

Achingly slow, he rolls to face me. His fingertips skim up my arm, to my wrist, and solidify my palm against his hammering heart.

His throat bobs. “Zahra…” The low, strained tone of his voice makes it seem like he’s prepping to say something profound, and I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to handle that right now, so I avert my eyes and don’t respond.

Lifting his free hand, he curls a finger beneath my chin, forces my gaze back to him, and repeats, “Zahra.”

“What?” I murmur, wishing I had ignored him when I entered the room in favor of picking up my phone and playing my games, wishing I had at least asked him to turn off the light.

He smiles, and every muscle in me eases. Secretive, he leans forward, touches a kiss to my nose, and says, “I love you.”

My heart knots.

He loves me. And he can’t lie. Even though he can’ttakeanything from me because of oaths he’s made. Even though myhead is constantly battling a narrative that claims I’m not good enough for a Godmadeof love, and, therefore, will never be good enough for anyone.

“You have to stop saying that.” I wet my lips. “I don’t know what I’ll do once I let myself understand the weight of those words. I think they might crush me.”

“Love isn’t meant to be a burden, snowflake, but if it feels like one, the best thing you can do is give it back.”

“What a quaint way of requesting I return your affections.”

His chin dips, so he’s peering at me past his dark lashes. “Has it come any closer to convincing you?”

Yes. No. Maybe.

I shift the topic. “Will you get any sleep if I hug you?”

“My senses are already on the brink of collapse. What difference might a hug make?” Sweeping the comforter up, he welcomes me into his embrace—like a prince from one of my crazy games.

One of my crazy games where love never fails, and no one gets hurt.

“Come,” he whispers into my reverie, gray eyes sparking with lightning and mischief. “Drive me mad.”

After asking him to put the bunny onesie back on and turn out the light, I let myself do just that.

Chapter 25

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Trigger Warning: disturbing memories, discussion of sexual assault

This happens. Every year. Like clockwork.

The second school collapses into summer, I fall ill. My body gives up. All the mind over matter immune system buffs dissipate, and I find myself bedridden until the fog clears.

I guess, in some ways, it’s a good thing LARP Friday and Last Day of School Friday collided, canceling the former. Even though I have a stream of irate messages from Castor claiming injustices that my paltry day job interrupted his play time, at least I wasn’t carrying whatever this heinous flu is around the gang.

No, instead I’m just carrying it around my husband and my child—who for his own safety has been stolen away from my room, where I cannot cuddle his cute face in hope of feeling marginally better.

Without my baby to help me, I must suffer beneath the kindnesses of my evil husband.

“Please, have a modicum of decency and stop enjoying this,” I mutter, congested.

Delight apparent on his face, Alexios blows on a spoonful of chicken soup, then holds it to my lips. “It’s the sick day episode. I get to pamper you while your fever-ridden brain contemplates a high possibility youareactually obsessed with me.”

I do not drink the soup. “No.”

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