Page 96 of Laila Manning
“Do you see them now?” I asked, breathing her in, “Because the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Dove. And I’m not going to get it right, every time, even though I’m going to try my hardest.”
“I know you will.” Her lips brushed against mine as she closed her eyes and sank into me fully. “And I have to find a way to trust you with my pain, instead of trying to keep them separate things. Because they’re not, are they?”
“No, they aren’t.” I replied, “But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
“Hmm,” she hummed, licking her lips and tasting mine. “Trust.”
“Trust.” I replied as she shifted in my arms, hitching her leg over my hip and curling further into my body.
“I think I want to try trusting you with all of me.” She purred, “The good and the bad. The past and the future.”
“I’ll be here, Dove.” I replied, running my hand over her hip and thigh as she rocked against me slightly. “For all of it. If you can’t trust in anything else, trust in that.”
“Okay.” She whispered before softly pressing her lips against mine, “I can try.”
“That’s all I need from you. Let me take care of everything else.”
Chapter 26 – Laila
It was there again.
That doomsday feeling, crawling across my skin like a slithering eel of bad news, was just waiting to strike and ruin my day. Or worse—my life.
I scrubbed glasses behind the bar, making small talk when I could, and mentally counted to ten a million and a half times, but still, I was on edge.
“Hey, are you alright?” Nicole asked as I stood frozen, lost in thought, with my hands hovering over the water pan.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry!” I blinked away the distraction and started washing dishes again, but then stopped. “Actually, you know what? I’m not okay.” I grabbed a rag and dried my hands off. “I’m sorry, but I have to leave.”
“Uh, okay.” She stuttered in surprise, “I’ll let management know. Can I do something to help you somehow? You seem really rattled.”
“I’ll be okay, I just have to—” I paused, trying to find the words. “Find someone.”
“Okay.” She stepped aside as I quickly clocked out. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
As soon as my feet hit the pavement outside, my skin burned to life with anxiety, and it felt that if I didn’t keep moving, it would split into a million pieces, shedding off of me.
Something was wrong. And I was done ignoring it.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Zeke. He was on a job with Jed, no where near Shadeport. I didn’t think it was him, but I had to make sure.
“Dove.” His warm, thick voice answered on the second ring. “Are you okay?”
“Are you?” I replied, walking toward the dumpster corral. “Is Jed?”
“We’re fine. Why?”
I lifted the lock with the toe of my Converse and swung the door open. “I’m fine. But something or someone isn’t. I have a feeling, and I know it sounds stupid, but something is wrong, Zeke. Somewhere. I just don’t know with whom yet.”
“We’re fine.” He repeated, “Where are you?”
“I’m leaving work. I couldn’t focus, and I couldn’t shake the feeling, so I called you, figured I’d start there and work down the line.” Even before I said it, I knew it was stupid. “I think it’s Kade.”
“Okay.” He replied, and it was refreshing to have someone believe me. No questions or doubt, just support. “I’ll reach out and check on him.”
“That didn’t work last time, remember.” I walked around the dumpster, finding it empty of the junkies that frequented the dark space to get high. “But okay. I appreciate it.”
