Page 38 of Euphoria
Everything freezes inside of me. “What?” I whisper.
Phoenix lightly chuckles but then groans. He opens his eyes, “I’m too tired to grab you by the neck and kiss you stupid, okay? So, get in the fucking bed, Bam-Bam.”
I roll my eyes and huff. “Fine, but first drink the water.” I reach out for the water bottle and open it.
Phoenix takes it and chugs the whole thing down so fast, I wonder if I need to get him another one. “No, don’t go. Come to me, Bambi.”
I sigh. “I’m coming right back.” I say and rush out grabbing two more water bottles. When I come back to his side, Phoenix is just gazing at me. I care about him too much for me to not put his well-being first. He means the entire world to me.
“You mean so much to me, you know that? Now, come to me.”
I don’t know how this man can read me so easily, as if he can pluck the words out of my head. “Okay, but my clothes stay on.”
Phoenix glares at me. “If I wanted to truly fuck you, I wouldn’t need to manipulate you like this. The only manipulation you’ll get from me is my fingers when they coax your sweet, tasty nectar from your body to coat my tongue.”
“Don’t say things like that if you want me to get into bed with you,” I shudder as I climb over and get under the sheets.
I lay down facing away from Phoenix as I feel him sink lower into the bed. “Baby, Look at me,” he says.
My heart beats like crazy. I love the way he calls me baby. I turn to face him, and I shut my eyes. I feel his hand caress my face. My cheek, my nose, my lips, my lashes, my forehead and then he scoots closer, kissing my forehead. “You’re cheating,” I say.
Phoenix chortles. “I never said I wouldn’t touch you, Bam-Bam. Fuck, how could I not touch you? You know how many times I almost crossed that fucking ferry to come get you? I missed you like crazy.”
I lean in, inhaling Phoenix’s natural scent. I’ve always loved the way he smells. “You should’ve.”
Phoenix’s arm wraps around my waist and pulls me flush to his body. I can feel the heat coming from him, but I know it’s not the fever, it’s just him. “If I did, you wouldn’t be where you are today. You deserved a wonderful family, Bambi. You deserved a good life. One that would prep you and bring you back to me.”
I sigh. “Take a nap, Phoenix,” I say just to avoid how hard his words hit me. I turn to give him my back and he still pulls me close to him. My phone rings again and I reach in my jean pocket to see that it’s Bowie calling. I pick up his video call and he smiles. “I had a feeling you guys were taking a nap. I can’t sleep.” He frowns. He looks at Phoenix, “You okay?” He asks.
“Yeah, mom, I’m fine,” Phoenix answers.
Bowie rolls his eyes and chuckles. “Fuck you.”
“You want to nap with us?” I say to Bowie.
“Yeah…” He answers and I pull out my pop socket to set my phone on the bed. He shifts on his bed, fixing his phone. He places his hands under his head as he turns his body to face us.
“Tell us about you growing up in out of all places, Phoenix, Arizona. Did you make friends? Any boyfriends?” Bowie asks.
I chuckle. “Boyfriends? So, you two sickos can track them down and kill them?”
Phoenix kisses my hair. “Shut up and tell us the other stuff, then.” He sounds like he’s drifting off.
“Maybe next time,” I answer because both men have their eyes shut.
“Okay, what’s on your mind then?”
“Truth?” I ask.
“Truth.” They both reply and I smile because they remember.
“Well, tell me about Esme. You guys seemed close. It seems like you joked around in the hospital. It was a different side of you I’ve never seen. It makes me realize that I don’t know you anymore. If I had to choose for you to be happy, I’d choose her. I’d let you be happy with her; you know. That’s how much I…” I stop myself from saying it.
For a while, it’s silent and I think Phoenix is asleep. I turn a little to glimpse his sleeping form and he’s staring at me, well glaring like he wants to curse me out.
“I thought you were sleeping already.”
“Why would you say something like that to me? How can you say something like that to me? Bams? You know me.” When he says this, I see the hurt in his eyes at my admission. I blink back my tears. “Let me ask you this, what did she call me when she was talking to me in the hospital?”
