Page 86 of Sinful Kingdom

The soft creak of my bedroom door drags my eyelids open. I used to fucking hate that noise. During the day, it was nothing, but come sneaking out at night when I wasn’t meant to and it was loud as shit.

I find Mum looking at me with a soft smile playing on her lips.

“Hey,” I whisper.

“It’s good to see you awake,” she says, walking in. “You ready for more pills?”

I shake my head. “I’m fine.”

Her eyes narrow in a way I remember all too well from when we were kids.

“Alex, just these last two. For me?”

“Guilt trip, really?”

“They’ve worn off. That’s why you’re lying here awake while these two sleep. Just have these, and then I’ll leave you to it. Suffer as much as you want.”

“Is that what you say to all your patients?” I tease, pushing myself up enough to take the bottle of water and pills she hands over.

“Not usually. Thankfully, they’re not often as stubborn as you are.”

“Aw, you love me really,” I tease.

“More than you could ever understand,” she confesses quietly.

“Sorry for giving you a few more grey hairs.”

“Oh shush, there isn’t one single grey hair on my head,” she counters.

“Your colourist made sure of it, huh?”

“You little shit,” she laughs.

“Tell me I’m wrong?”

She shakes her head, still smiling with relief filling her eyes.

“You’ve really made an impression on this young man. He’s holding you at godlike status right now,” she says, looking at Zay beside me.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“To him, you did everything.” She smiles fondly again.

“I just hope it was enough. I know how much shit like that can fuck a kid up.”

Dark shadows pass through her eyes. Her pain is palpable for what we suffered without her knowledge.

“You both turned into incredible men, Alex. I couldn’t be prouder of either of you.”

“Pfft, don’t lie. D’s about to give you a grandbaby. You know you like him more right now.”

She chuckles but doesn’t argue. “Your time will come. You’ve found yourself quite a girl there that you need to hold onto.”

“I intend to.”

“Good, now rest.”

She backs away from the bed but stops at the door when I call for her.

---