Page 107 of From Air

It’s hard to breathe because he’s here. Because I have a broken nose. Because I have a blanket over my head. If I die, so be it.

“Yeah, um ...” Melissa hums. “I might run a few errands since you’re here now. Bye, Jamie. See you after a while.”

I don’t respond. Maybe Fitz will leave, too, even though I’m dying to see him. Unfortunately, my desire not to be seen is more intense, so I stay hidden.

The door clicks shut.

It’s eerily quiet except for the air exchange.

“I should have been here sooner, but Melissa messaged me right after I jumped. And I didn’t have a good signal.”

I don’t respond.

“Who did this to you? Melissa said it was an accident.”

“Fitz, I know you took time off and bought a plane ticket to come see me. If I reimburse you, will you turn around and go home?”

“No.”

I deflate. Tears burn my eyes when I didn’t think my face could hurt more. “Fitz,” I murmur, “my neighbor’s boyfriend tried to take her out with a baseball bat, and I passed their door as she was running from him. She tripped, and he missed her and hit me. I look like a boxer who went twenty rounds.”

“Jaymes, boxing doesn’t go twenty rounds.” The edge of my bed dips.

“Please go.”

His hand slides under the blanket and rests on my foot. The first tear breaks free.

“If your neighbor’s boyfriend isn’t behind bars, I’m going to end him.”

“He’s in jail.”

“Then why are you hiding?”

“Because”—drawing in a shaky breath, I slowly pull the blanket away from my head—“I look like this.”

Fitz doesn’t flinch. Not a single muscle twitch. “Your freckles hide most of the bruising. And that eye isn’t anything that can’t be dressed up with a pirate’s patch.”

“Stop,” I say with a half laugh and a half sob.

He grins, pulling stray hair away from my face. “You’ve never looked worse, Jaymes.”

Laughter wins, but I still manage a few more tears.

Fitz’s smile wanes. “I’m justsofucking sorry this happened to you.”

“You’re not. Gary and Evette will finally think you’re hotter.”

When his smile returns tenfold, it feeds my soul, filling it until it runs over. “Still, Jaymes. They’llstillthink I’m hotter. Notfinally.”

If he backed down one inch, it would break me. I need our banter.

“Do Maren and Will know?”

“Yes.”

“Does Will—”

“Will knows you can’t keep your clothes on when you’re around me. He knows you’ve violated me on countless occasions. And for that, he’s threatened to demote me to the shed. Hope you’re proud of yourself.”

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