Page 235 of Ruin Me Gently

My chest squeezed, but I swallowed it down and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, heading straight for his drawers.

I pulled on his boxers and T-shirt, letting his sage and sea salt wrap around me. If I wasn’t going to get Silas in the morning, I was at least going to smell like him.

Good. This was fine.

I reached for the painkillers and water when something caught my eye.

A small slip of paper sat on the nightstand.

‘He was one of the biggest horses I had ever seen, with legs like tree trunks and a chest as broad as an ox.’ - Michael Morpurgo, War Horse.

“What?”

What the hell did that mean? Why was he writing quotes about horses? I didn’t und—Oh God, no.

I’d just wanted to learn something simple. Something small. Something just to make him smile a little. And instead, I’d butchered the words and made a fool of myself.

Groaning, I shoved the note back onto the nightstand. Nope. Not thinking about that right now. I had other things to worry about, like the all-consuming need for caffeine and carbs.

I padded out of the bedroom, already planning my first hit of coffee and whatever leftovers were waiting in the fridge.

Shit.

The place was spotless. No empty glasses. No blankets thrown over the couch. The kitchen island? Clear. No half-eaten food.

The only proof that Molly and I had been there at all was the thumping headache that was about to kill me.

Guilt curled in my stomach. Maybe he was pissed. Maybe that’s why he’d left so early?

No. That couldn’t have been it. He left a damn note just to mock my tragic attempt at being romantic, so if he was mad, he was taking a really weird approach to it. Right?

I sighed, reaching for the coffee machine.

“Morning, Katniss,” I said over my shoulder.

Silence.

She didn’t even look up from her basking spot, clearly unbothered by my existence. Typical.

Something in me had snapped after the meeting a few weeks ago, and I’d decided I couldn’t spend another damn minute away from her. If I was going to be here for the foreseeable future, then so was she. No negotiations. No compromises. So, Molly had brought her here, and now, Her Highness was fully settled in her own personal five-star suite in Silas’ space.

Not that she appreciated it.

Silas had insisted on upgrading her setup. Apparently, her vivarium wasn’t up to standards for his newest house guest. Instead of her usual enclosure, she had a fully customised one, complete with a top-of-the-line heating system, automatic misting, temperature monitors, and‘a proper basking throne.’His words, not mine.

She stretched lazily under the lamp, entirely oblivious to the absurd amount of time, effort and money that had been poured into her new setup.

“You know, you could at least look grateful,” I muttered. “He spent hours setting this up for you.”

Nothing.

“Good talk, Your Highness.”

My phone buzzed from the counter and my heart kicked up for a split second. I reached for it automatically,stupidly.

Molly

How’s the hangover, lightweight?

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