Page 180 of Love in the Dark

“There were a few times I thought I might lose a toe.”

More than a couple times, my extremities have frozen to the point of pain during the night. By the time morning came around, I’d have to sneak into the locker rooms and soak my toes in warm water to regain blood flow and feeling in them.

Rogue quirks a brow at me. “And that didn’t dissuade you?”

“I only have one of her. Toes I can afford to lose, her I can’t.”

The corner of his lips lifts in humor but I’m not joking.

Mercifully, temperatures are starting to rise now so very soon I won’t be risking frostbite every night I’m out here.

Every day, when my alarm rings at dawn, I get in the driver’s seat and head back for Lyon, always throwing one final glance up at Nera’s window and finding it as equally empty as the night before.

Every day, I make it back just in time to get a quick shower in the school facilities and head to the restaurant for my morning shift. Then classes in the afternoon and the drive back to Aubonne.

Every day, I do it all over again without fail.

“How long are you going to keep this up for?” Rhys asks.

Thanks to my shifts at the restaurant, I’m making enough money to afford rent on a small place if I wanted. But I can’t bear the thought of not being close to her at night when I’m spending my days in another country.

I don’t know what having a mattress would change anyway. I haven’t slept in weeks and it’s not because I’m sleeping in my car.

It’s because I can’t sleep if she’s not nestled against me with her face burrowed in my neck and her soft breaths falling rhythmically against my skin.

I shrug, the answer so obvious that I don’t know why he’s even asking. “As long as it takes.”

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Chapter 46

Nera

Late April.

“Ooh, looks like it’s tacos for dinner tonight, girls,” Bellamy says, opening the bag she just brought up from downstairs. “And then Nera your breakfast tomorrow looks like it’s…” she says, inspecting the contents of the clear containers, “some kind of overnight oats, maybe blueberry. Lunch is a yummy looking pasta salad.”

“How many tacos did he put in there?” Thayer asks, getting up from the couch.

Bellamy counts softly under her breath.

“There’s eight tortillas in the bag.”

“Fuck yes,” Thayer answers, excitedly. “I love this man. If you don’t forgive him, Nera, I might just have to take Tristan home for myself.”

Every single day for almost two months now, Tristan has been coming back to Aubonne every night and delivering handmade food.

After that first night, I thought he’d give up pretty quickly. I thought he’d last max a week, maybe ten days. I never expected him to still be doing this, especially since I’ve categorically refused to see him.

I assume that’s part of the reason why in the last couple of weeks he’s switched from dinner just for one, me, to making enough food for the girls as well. It’s not lost on me that he’s trying to woo my friends and get them to forgive him as well, but they don’t seem to care.

Clearly, it’s working.

“You might want to never repeat that around your boyfriend,” Six replies, joining them around the kitchen island.

“Don’t worry about me,” she says, waggling her brows with a cheeky grin, “Rhys loves staking his claim,”she purrs, her tone so happily in love it makes my stomach clench.

I close my book and get up from the couch, ambling towards them.

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