Page 55 of Cuffed By Love

Haveyou ever stared at a screen for so long that the letters and numbers jumble up, and you start seeing weird shapes floating around? Fucking hell, I’m getting old. I’ve been re-reading the same paragraph for the past ten minutes, unable to focus thanks to the dull ache in my head from the migraine I can feel coming. I’ve been so focused on getting these graphs and numbers right for tomorrow’s board meeting that I hadn’t even noticed that Mira had finished working and is sleeping in her chair beside me.

She’s so damn stunning.

Leaning back against my chair, I watch her sleep. I tell myself it’s only for a minute, but who am I kidding? I could watch her for hours and never get bored. Mira’s always had this aura about her that appeases me. Like right now, I feel a sense of tranquillity wash over me as I observe her.

The more time I spend with her, the more conscious I am of how deprived I’ve felt of her vibrant energy these last ten years. I feel like I’ve been living with the entire right side of me missing, and I’m only complete when she’s around. How fucked up is that? When I had her in my arms earlier after she found out about my Dad’s cancer, it hit me once again like a slap over the head with an iron hand that I would have to leave her again. I’m going to have to relive the agony of losing her all over again. As much as this is and always will be my home, it’s not my life anymore. My life is in Singapore…with Megan.

Though I will probably never admit this out loud, Mira was never really gone, she may not have been there with me physically, but she’s never been gone. She lives and will continue to live rent-free in the depths of my heart as my could have been, my almost.

After our move to Singapore, I came across a purple wisteria tree that’s similar to ours. I spent countless days and nights sitting under it, looking through old and recent photos of us together. When I’m there, and I close my eyes, I can feel her there sitting next to me, laughing while we argued over which star was going to be hers.

“When I die, I want to come back as a star. I want to be that star right there.” She states, pointing at Sirius, the brightest star in Earth’s night sky, as we lay on the grass, our heads beside one another, watching the stars fly by.

“First of all, don’t you talk about dying, because your arse ain’t leaving me here. Secondly, you want to come back as a star of all things? Why?” I asked, and Mira turns her head and looks at me, her eyes glimmering.

“Because I love the stars. They’re eternal, and I can watch over the ones I love. Whenever they miss me, they can just look up at the brightest star in the sky and know I’ll be right there, forever watching.”

What she doesn’t know is that every year on her birthday, I name a star after her and I’ll continue doing so until my very last breath, because when I miss her, I do exactly that, I look up at the sky full of stars that are hers and that eases that constant ache deep in my chest. I’d honestly give anything to be able to go back to those days and relive it all over again.

With a hefty sigh, I reach over and brush a loose strand of her hair away from her face. “Tinks, wake up,” I whisper, caressing her soft cheek. My fingers glide over her silky smooth skin.

“Dev.” She sighs, leaning into my touch. I smile upon hearing my nickname. It may seem foolish or inconsequential, but it excites me like a boy on Christmas morning whenever she calls me that. I stand up and contemplate picking her up and carrying her, but I glance down at our hands cuffed together and figure that won’t work, so I lean over and shake her a little.

“Mira,” I call out quietly, shaking her, but she just moans lushly, catching me off guard. Was she having an erotic dream? Was it about me? I momentarily consider leaving her to sleep to see what other sexy little noises she will make or if she would say my name again but soon acknowledge that’s borderline lechery. “Tinks, wake up,” I speak louder, and she starts awake and looks up at me drowsily blinking. “Hey there, sleepyhead.”

Mira sits upright, tears her eyes from mine and clears her throat while she straightens her now unruly wavy hair. “H-how long was I sleeping?”

“About a half-hour or so. Why didn’t you tell me you were tired? We could have left earlier?”

Mira shakes her head, rubbing her temples tiredly. “Uh, I didn’t realise how tired I was. I must have just dozed off.”

I frown when I notice her face is flushed and reach over to lift her head so she can look at me. “Are you feeling okay?” I question, pressing my fingers to her forehead, but she practically jumps away like my touch scalded her or something.

“I’m fine, just a little tired, and I uh, my bladder is moments away from erupting. I literally cannot hold it anymore.”

I smile and nod in understanding. I gesture for her to walk ahead of me, “After you then, Tinks.”

Mira grumbles something under her breath, and we walk out of my office toward the bathroom. By this point, we’re getting accustomed to pissing in front of one another, though Mira still makes me turn the faucet on and sing so that I can’t hear her. I suppose it’s more awkward for girls than it’s for us guys because we’re used to taking a leak out in the open and in front of people. Taking a shit with her right there watching was something I never thought I’d ever have to do, but hey ho, you do what you must, and I must admit her reaction was downright comical.

Twenty minutes later, we finally make it back to Mira’s place…yet again. I did try and coax her into staying at my apartment because I would like to change my clothes also. Mira, however, pointed out that I live on the thirtieth floor and I didn’t fancy lugging my arse up thirty flights of bloody stairs and dying in the process, so reluctantly, she won…for now. I’m determined to squash this elevator issue once and for all. Promptly.

We walk into the house, and both almost jump out our skin when we hear an ear-splitting shriek and a head of blonde hair rushing toward us. “Mimi!”

“Lexi?” Mira groans when Lexi Parker comes barreling at her, almost knocking her over into me. I place my hands at her waist and steady her. Lexi’s baby blue eyes lift to me, and she gasps.

“Oh my goodness, you’re really here! Devin freaking King!”

“Hi, Lex.” I laugh when she steps back from Mira, and she looks me over in awe. “It’s good to see and hear you.” Little Lexi was as loud and adorable as ever. She’s not changed at all, still looks as she did in school, long blonde hair, a petite frame, still standing at 5-foot-one inches and full of life. She looks just a little older but definitely not mellowed one bit. Lexi gives Mira an astonished look—akin to Wyatt and Ayla when they first saw me—before she turns her gaze to look at me again.

“You look…different.”

I smirk, “Good different, I hope?”

“Good? Are you kidding me? You look good enough to slap on a cracker and eat!” Lexi exclaims. I throw my head back and laugh heartily at her candour. Always one to speak nothing but her mind, and that’s only one of the many reasons I adored her. The other is her fierce loyalty and protectiveness of those she loves. Mira rolls her eyes, exasperated and shakes her head. Lexi shoulder bumps her playfully and pins her with a wide toothy grin.

“You’ve not changed one bit, Lex. Still little and loud. Come here.” Lexi steps in when I open my free arm and give her a one-arm hug.

“Hey, jerkface, I have grown half an inch since school, I’ll have you know.” She grumbles into my chest jokingly. “And it’s really good to have you back, you gentle giant.”

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