Page 123 of Give Me Love

“Well, that explains it,” I reply as I continue to the cabinet.

“They’re to the left,” he says as his phone vibrates back to life.

I put the plates on the island, and Bryce grabs a spoon from the drawer. “So, you tried to call?” he asks.

“Yeah. Um, Claire and I have a bit of a situation. I found someone’s knife on the floor in my room this morning.”

He turns to me. “You what?”

“I found a knife—”

“I fucking heard you, K. Why the hell are you just now telling me this?”

“I tried to tell you earlier…”

“Yeah, my phone,” he says, waving it off. “Can you elaborate a little here?”

I sigh. “I woke up this morning and saw a knife on the floor. Not just a little pocketknife, but one you wear on your side, you know? My window was cracked, and Claire found her underwear on our sofa.”

“What the fuck?” His hands go to his head. “You’re staying here.” He walks over to his phone.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He looks back at me. “I’m finding out who the fuck broke into my girl’s room with a goddamn knife.”

“Bryce, we think it was her ex, Cain. He used to beat her. She got a restraining order, and we haven’t heard from him in a long time, but Claire is sure it’s him.”

“Why would he come in your… The fire escape,” he says.

“Exactly,” I reply. “He must have heard Austin and us coming home last night and hurried out. I can’t imagine if Austin wouldn’t have been with us.” I shake my head as I look down at the floor. “Anyway, we called the police, so they’re working on it.”

“Yeah, well, let them,” he says, yanking the charger from the wall. “I’ll be back.” He jogs up the stairs.

“Kinda feel like we have more to talk about here,” I call out. I sigh and pick up the spoon he dropped on the counter, scraping the burnt top off before I decide I’m not hungry anymore. I put the spoon down and walk over to the windows, looking out pensively as the rain continues to pour. My eyes search the city, and I cross my arms. “Where are you, you sick son of a bitch?”

_____________

“We need to go grab you some clothes,” Bryce says sometime later as he comes down the steps.

I turn and look his way. “Bryce, your mom is here. I don’t want to intrude on anything. I can stay with Austin and Claire.”

“You’re not staying with fucking Austin,” he says, grabbing his keys from the counter. “You’re my girlfriend. You’ll stay with me.”

“Your girlfriend, huh?” I ask with a lifted brow.

He looks over at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, your mom didn’t have a clue who I was.”

“I don’t talk to her about shit,” he says. I narrow my eyes. He runs a hand over his head. “Look, it’s complicated.”

“Apparently,” I reply. “And I take it from Jace’s reaction, she doesn’t come to visit?”

He laughs. “No. She doesn’t. The night I told you she got beat up was the night I brought her here. She’s been a heroin addict and a prostitute for years. I go down to where she sells her body once a week and give her money for food and make sure she’s not dead of an overdose.”

“Whoa,” I mouth wordlessly.

He lifts his brow and leans back against the counter with a long sigh. “My past is messy, K.”

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