“I’ll wash these and return them,” I tell her, indicating the clothes.
“Keep them. Reon can buy me more.”
“I’m not your ATM,” Reon growls.
“No, you aren’t. You are my brother. So shut up and say goodbye to Lilith so she can leave.” She waves at me before she walks off in the direction of the bathroom.
“Let me get changed and walk you down, at least.” He stands, and I place my hand on his chest.
“Please don’t.”
“I want you to stay.” He lifts his hand and covers mine where it rests on his bare chest, giving it a slight squeeze. “Stay,” he says, a hint of desperation in his voice.
“No, I have to go. I need…” I shake my head. “I have to go.”
Reon nods and drops my hand—“I’ll have security watching your place,”—grabbing my hips and pulling me to him. “Come back. Please, say you’ll come back,” he whispers.
“Is that new for you?” I ask.
“What?”
“Saying please. Do you say that often?”
He leans down, his lips touching my ear. “Please, Caterpillar.” Shivers race all over my body before I pull back.
“You have my number. Don’t come over. Call like a normal person,” I tell him, and he nods. Still in pain, I push away from him, grab two cupcakes, and head to the door.
And I feel his stare as I hobble out.
THIRTY-ONE
REON
“Did you even give her the ring?” Abigail asks around a mouthful of pizza.
“No.”
“Did she even remember you said you got married?”
“I don’t know.”
“Reon, does she know you’re married?”
“To her. I’m married to her,” I tell Abigail.
“When was the wedding? Come on, Reon, stop this and go after her and tell her.”
“She knows. She seemed to forget, which is fine, considering everything she went through.”
Abigail stares at me, her eyes boring into mine as she eats her pizza. “It’s a fucked-up situation you have right now.”
“I have to get dressed. I have a meeting with Earl.” I stand and head for my bedroom as Abigail yells out, “I’ll come. I miss Earl.”
I don’t tell her she can’t. Earl likes Abigail, probably more than I do. Abigail is set to inherit everything if I die. She’s my only living blood relative and has been the only woman in my life until recently.
My cell hasn’t stopped all morning, with texts and calls flooding in. But when I walked into my room and saw her sleeping peacefully, I took my shirt off and climbed in next to her.
It was the best sleep I’ve ever fucking had.