Page 102 of Pretty Black

“I know.”

“You’ll kill yourself, and I’m worried about you.” He locked me in a serious look.

“Don’t you dare tell me to leave him.”

He laughed. “I don’t think anyone could separate you two. They’d be stupid to try. And I don’t want that. I know he loves you. But I know you can’t do it alone. We’ve been doing it as a group these last few weeks, and I think you need the support.”

“What are you suggesting?” I asked.

“Tour style. We’re all living together until you two are on your feet. I’m not leaving your side, and I know River isn’t going to leave his.” He nodded at Iris. “Alister feels the same way about both of you, which means you get Kingsley, his brother, and Royal for some reason.” He wrinkled his nose and shook his head like he didn’t understand the dynamic there, which made me laugh. I recognized things in Royal and the way he looked at Aspen. “And of course, Saint and Emory too. So we may need a bigger place.”

“Maybe we should try to rent some where out of the public eye. Like a hundred acres or something.”

“We’ll get on it.” He bent down to kiss my forehead. “We are in this together. None of us are going to let you carry the weight alone anymore.”

“Thank you.”

Lowe left, and we were alone. I thanked the universe for not taking him from me yet. I wasn’t ready.

How quickly my world changed to revolve around him.

My Pretty Black.

“Are you dreaming of me like I dream of you?”

Do you know I dream of you?

Awake.

Asleep.

There is no escape.

So buried in my mind,

There is no release.

No peace.

THIRTY-FOUR

PRESENT DAY

Iris Black

Iwoke up, and everything was different.

But nothing was different.

I felt different.

Last night had made me a different person.

The harsh light cutting lines across the hospital room cemented the drastic changes in my interactions with the world in my head.

Love drew me from my sleep.

It grounded me in my flesh.

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