Page 77 of A Kingpin's Weakness
I leaned over, brushed her shoulder.
“Bae,” I whispered.
No response.
“Bae,” I said again, shaking her gently.
Next thing I knew, it hit—hot fire in my eyes, my nose, my throat. I coughed, gagged, stumbled back, and everything around me blurred as if the world had turned to flames.“STORMI, WHAT THE FUCK! IT’S ME SETH!”
“Seth? Oh my God!” Her voice cracked in panic.
I stumbled back, half-blind, cursing as I made my way to the bathroom. My eyes burned like somebody poured acid on ‘em. I turned the faucet on full blast, splashing water over my face, damn near sticking my whole head in the sink.
“I’m so sorry, Seth!” I heard her running downstairs. My dumbass could only laugh through the pain. She came back seconds later, breathless and panicked.
“I got milk!”
I laughed harder. Not the sexy welcome-home I imagined but shit, this was real. This was us. She helped me flush my eyes with water and milk. After ten minutes, I could finally see again. My eyes were bloodshot, but the burning had eased.
“I’m so sorry,” she said again, voice shaking.
I squinted at her. “Why the hell you got mace on you like that?”
“In case someone broke in!”
“And what if they had a gun, Stormi?”
“The mace gives me time to run!”
I blinked. “That’s your logic?”
“Yeah.”
She was dead serious. Like it was a damn scientific fact. I couldn’t even argue with her. I just shook my head. Then her tone shifted. Her eyes softened but not in a good way.
“Why haven’t I heard from you in three days? Why didn’t you call? You couldn’t tell me you were coming home?”
I sighed and pulled her into me, needing her warmth. Needing her spirit to quiet the chaos still in my chest. But when I leaned in to kiss her, she pulled away.
“That shit doesn’t fly, Seth. Three days? Nothing?”
“So you mad?” I asked, knowing damn well she was.
She didn’t answer. Just walked back to the bed, climbed under the covers like I hadn’t just been halfway blinded by her. Istripped down to my boxers and slid in next to her. Reached for her again she pushed me away.
“Don’t touch me, Seth.”
“Damn, Stormi. I’m here now.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, voice low but firm. “You had me worried sick.”
“I told you I’d be back.”
“Saying you’ll be back means a couple hours not three days with no call, no text, nothing.”
“I had shit to handle. You know that.”
“I do. But you don’t get it.”
