Page 133 of Anathema Codex

I would have welcomed it because that would have been better than being in a world without Bea. Even if she was closer than I had assumed this whole time, at least she’s out there somewhere and that thought alone has always kept me going.

It’s just being given the opportunity to see her again, something I never would have thought could happen until Aftyn showed up… taking it away would be crueler than anything Lakyn could ever do to me.

Or has done, and he’s been pretty fucked-up about how he’s treated me since day one.

But I learned to adapt to it.

I can see his triggers before he feels them coming and I always back off. I’ve come to accept that I’ll never be anything more to him than a whipping boy and I’m fine with it.

I’d like him to maybe tell me if he feels something for me one day—other than the usual verbal abuse that I’m numb to. Even if it’s the smallest thing, it would be nice to hear.

It’ll never happen,I think with a heavy sigh as I let the curtain go and turn away.

I’m almost back to the couch when a car horn outside blares a couple of times. I turn so quickly that I almost trip over my own feet as I rush back to the window just in time to see Lakyn pulling into the driveway.

Taking a deep breath, I let go of the curtain again and rush for the front door. I’m hope that he has Bea with him, but if he doesn’t, I can’t honestly say that I’ll be surprised.

Disappointed?

Absolutely, but that’s something else I’m starting to become numb to.

Life with Lakyn has been full of disappointments. None for him, of course, but enough to break someone that didn’t have the chance to become conditioned to it.

I chew my lower lip nervously as I run my hands back through my hair, then use a shaky hand to pull the front door open.

Stepping out onto the front stoop, I shove my hands into my pockets and nod at him as he exits the car with a half-grin on that devilishly handsome face of his.

Lakyn Meyer is and always will be the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, and he knows it.

He used it to his advantage when I first met him. Suckered me hook, line, and sinker into thinking that he was as interested in me as I was him, and I fell for it harder than I’ll ever admit.

“Hey,” I call out in a shaky tone.

Lakyn rest an arm over the door of his car as he looks at me for a moment, then slams it shut.

I should have known,I think dejectedly when I don’t see Bea.

“Guess she didn’t wanna come, huh?” I ask in a subdued voice.

“What makes you say that?” he asks as he walks around to the other side of his car.

“Lack of presence,” I joke lamely.

“Come on, you should know me better than that,” he replies with a chuckle as he opens the passenger side of his door, leans in to grab something, then uses his foot to close it.

“As promised,” he announces cheerfully as he approaches me and shoves a box into my hands.

“What?” I ask in confusion.

“Well, youhavebeen a good boy lately, with the exception of the nasty little surprise you sprang on me, but I have to hand it to you—that was slick,” he tells me with a laugh as he walks by me and claps me on the back.

My hands begin to shake harder as his laugh echoes in the house behind me.

My lower lip starts to tremble as I hold the box, refusing to look down at it.

Lakyn said he kept his promise.

Which means Bea is home.

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