“Are you okay?” Mateo’s hands are on my shoulders, giving them a squeeze.
In that moment, I remember my dream and gasp. “I have sisters. I just remembered the people in the dream threatened my family and sisters. Especially Gracie. They said her name as if they already knew her. They had photos of people who were my family. But I don’t remember what they look like. Ugh, I hate this fucking brain,” I curse, slapping my head with my hand, hoping to kickstart the silly thing.
“Hey, don’t talk like that,” Mateo says, grabbing my hand and stopping me from hitting myself again.
“I’m frustrated. It’s like the information is so close yet still so fucking far.”
Mateo’s thumb rubs my hand, trying to calm me, but instead, the sensation makes my body shiver, and I quickly pull my hand from his which makes him frown.
“Did anything else happen?” Tomas asks, moving closer too.
Why are they both trying to kill me with their presence this morning? Shaking the previous thoughts from my mind, I try to concentrate on what else I could remember from my dream.
“They said there were other girls and that they had all submitted. I was the last one, I was trying to fight them, but it was too hard. I wanted them to kill me, I was giving up.” A sob falls from my lips, surprising me.
Mateo pulls me against his hard chest and wraps his arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Zoe, I’m so sorry that this is happening to you.”
I feel weird now, being in his arms, which is stupid, he’s just being so genuine because he’s worried about me.Forget about what you saw last night, Zoe, and act normal.I give in and wrap my arms around him, savoring his strength, his safety, and his comfort.
“Do you need to speak to a professional to help deal with your nightmares?” Tomas asks.
I shake my head. “Honestly, I don’t know if I want to know what happened to me anymore. I don’t know if I’m going to like what I remember.”
The boys both fall silent about my confession.
“If you do want help, we can arrange it. We want to help in whatever way we can,” Tomas advises.
I nod against Mateo’s hard chest. “You give good hugs,” I mumble to him.
Mateo’s chest vibrates with a chuckle. “So do you.” His lips touch my ear as he whispers which makes me shiver. I hope he doesn’t notice the way his presence affects me. “I could get used to having you in my arms.”
Is Mateo flirting? This feels like flirting. But what I saw last night between him and Tomas.No.He can’t be flirting with me. And then I feel it, something hard against my stomach. It’s not … no it couldn’t, could it?
I take a step back, out of his arms, and my eyes flash down to his large package tented in his shorts. How can that be? I thought? What I saw last night?
“Mateo, what the hell?” Tomas calls out to his lover.
My eyes turn to Tomas and the little frown he has on his face. He’s looking directly at Mateo and shaking his head.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hugged him. It’s not his fault,” I say to Tomas.
Tomas gives me a confused look.
“I’ve got to go,” I tell them as I rush out of the kitchen and back to my room.
Soon there is a quiet knock on my door before it opens, and Mateo walks in with his shoulders slumped looking upset.
“Zoe, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” I tell him. I’m embarrassed about spying on them, about flirting with Tomas and Mateo, for making Mateo’s dick hard this morning. I’m sorry for intruding on their lives for making them hide their relationship. I’m sorry for not being able to remember so I can work out who I am and leave them alone.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Mateo says with a frown.
I scrub away the tears that I didn’t notice falling. I’m so over crying. Who knew losing my memory would turn me into an emotional wreck. I don’t know who this girl is.You don’t know who you are either way.
“I’m sorry, Zoe. I promise I’m not a creep. I respect your boundaries. And you are safe in this house with Tomas and me.”
“I know. I’m embarrassed that’s all.”