Page 57 of Dahlias, Sapphires, and Cool Autumn Dusk
I whispered in his ear, “This was an awful night for you.”
He snorted. “At least I got an officialI don’t know. Also ait was your mom’s family’s fault, which is more than I’ve ever gotten before. I wish I could remember. It’s just a blank, and the more I concentrate on the blank, the less I can remember other things. It’s like the blank eats my memories.”
I wasn’t a doctor, but I asked, “Maybe it’s trauma?”
“Well, it definitely is. Still, I would love to know what traumatized me. You know, other than the obvious kidnapping and murder of the other children thing.”
I rubbed a bit harder, digging into my work. “Take your shirt off? I want to touch your skin.”
He didn’t hesitate, despite his shaky hands. He quickly pulled off his shirt and discarded it onto the floor then lay flat on the couch so I could straddle him. “Is this too heavy?”
“Are you too heavy for me? No, Alatheia, you weigh almost nothing. I like the pressure. We could just stay like this, if you want.”
I ignored him, since the massage bit seemed sort of instinctual. I started with his neck and his shoulders, working my way down until each muscle relaxed. Phoenix’s body remained tense everywhere, but when I found a particularly rough spot, he would actually wince.
His body under my hands seemed all corded, lean muscle with no excess flesh, especially across his back. I remembered his tricks on his skateboard. His core strength was impressive, but I was surprised to find his back equally as defined.
“Love you,” he whispered, while I ran my hands over his mid-back.
I kissed his shoulder blade in response. “We should probably hire a professional. I’m probably not doing a very good job.”
“I don’t want anyone else touching me like this but you. Not ever.” He visibly winced when my fingertips grazed his side.Poor guy.I found another tough spot.
We fell into a comfortable silence, me rubbing until his breathing changed and I eventually realized he’d fallen asleep. I grinned, since it wasn’t my intention, exactly, but I loved bringing him peace after a hard day.
I got up and grabbed him a blanket. When I covered him, fearing he would catch a chill while he slept, he didn’t even move.
I got on my knees and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Phoenix.”
Both twins snored nearby on the floor. Barrett sat awake, scrolling on his phone when I glanced his way. He patted the seat next to him, so I curled into his side.
He shut off his phone then plugged both of ours into chargers. “He okay?” he asked.
“Out cold.” I whispered. “Should I wake him and bring him to a bed? I figured he could just sleep, but I don’t want him to wake up alone.”
Barrett scooted over, making room on the bed for me. “I’ll get him. You stay here.”
He returned a moment later with a semi-conscious Phoenix. He rolled to hold me, his eyes already closed, his breathing immediately returning to steadiness.
“Barrett,” I whispered as he crawled into the bed. “Thank you.”
“I’m just happy he’s getting some rest tonight.” He yawned.
I touched Phoenix’s hair, and he snuggled into my touch. “I. . .I have come to need this so much. I don’t know why I said you should stay away last night. I can’t imagine you shutting me out.”
He rolled to look at me, his gaze steady in the dim room. “You were validly pissed at us because you felt abandoned. We didn’t answer our texts in time, which made you mad and hurt. Not to mention you were scared, because of Murial, and whoknows what coping mechanisms got you through that one.” He kissed my hand then hugged it to his chest. “We need you, lovely Alatheia. You could just as easily decide you don’t want us or that this arrangement is too complicated for you. We’re all walking on eggshells, afraid you’ll leave us.”
I snorted, “Meanwhile, my family is having me followed by a PI. We really have to figure out what my aunt meant when she said something should’ve been dealt with years ago.”
Barrett kissed my nose. “I know.”
I closed my eyes. Thankfully, I didn’t dream, exhaustion taking me into darkness.
The twins leftMonday for California but they returned on Wednesday. The apartment felt colder without them, and they returned annoyed with each other and their coach.
“Why fly us out there just to get us torn up like that?” Julian iced his shoulder. “I think he’s sick in the head.”
Despite the travel, our lives became very wash, rinse, repeat. I loved the routine sameness of it.
