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“No shower,” I pout, and using all my strength, I drag him the rest of the way into the living room. Somehow, I manage to push him onto the couch, more than likely because he went willingly versus my actual strength getting him there. “Only cuddles.”
He flicks a teasing eyebrow up, looking so fucking hot it should be illegal. There’s always something bordering on cocky with Cassius. It’s never obvious or blunt—he would never be—but almost like a subtle confidence he carries that radiates dominance. Everyone sees him as a chill guy, and he is, but he’s also undeniably sure of himself.
It’s sexy as fuck.
I move to straddle him, feeling the need to be impossibly close, and my eyes widen when he lets out a sharp hiss. Pulling back, I gasp. “What was that?”
“Nothing.” He shakes his head, but the way he bites down on his bottom lip is telling enough. “Just got a little bruised up at the gym.”
He’s about to gently shove me off, but I’m quicker than he thinks. Before he can do anything, my hands are already working his shirt up, and I want to burst into tears at what I see. His entire side is covered in what I’m sure will become the ugliest bruise that’s ever existed. It looks red and swollen and tender, like it’s causing him a great deal of pain, and my heart breaks. “Cassy…”
“Like I said, just a bruise,” he explains, rubbing a soothing hand up and down my side. “It’s no big deal.”
Itisa big deal. “They’re allowed to hit you like this at the gym. This looks…”
He captures my wandering hand and brings it to his lips. “It’sfine. I promise.”
Cassius is so strong, though, and I doubt if he were actually in pain he’d say anything. I don’t like the marks, but I let it go,because it’s obvious he doesn’t want to discuss it further. Being careful as hell, I try to ease myself off him, but he holds my hips with an iron grip. “Cass?—”
“Distance is the last thing I want,” he mumbles. Bringing me back down, he rests his head on my shoulder. “Just stay here with me like this for a little bit.”
I nod. He doesn’t have to twist my arm for that. I’ll happily die in Cassius’s arms if it means we can be together forever. I let him cradle himself against me, lightly threading my fingers through his shaggy hair, which in turn makes him moan. As I think about his bruises and the pain he must be in, tears blur my vision. I don’t full-out sob, but I do whimper into the top of his head, so much so that he notices. “Sunshine?”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I admit on a shaky exhale, holding him tighter against me. “You’re everything to me.”
He tips his head up so I can meet his eyes—warm and comforting—as his lips quirk up. “You’re my world, Skylar.”
I shove his face back against my shoulder and hold him there. We’ve been through so much. From finding each other in that shit home to moving out and building our life together. If it wasn’t for Cassius, I wouldn’t have survived any of it.
So, I hold him. I keep him pressed against my body where he’s safe. I let us sit in our little bubble of peace for just a little bit longer.
Because there’s no darkness when we’re together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Cassius
It’s cold as shit.
There’s a reason we live in Miami. Aren’t we supposed to love the excruciating heat? I’m shaking as I wrap my arms around my torso, my short sleeves doing nothing to combat the artificial chill.
Whose bright idea was it to go ice skating anyways? Everyone else seems to have had the forethought to bring some sort of outerwear, whereas Skylar and I are in T-shirts. That isn’t deterring my best friend, however, who’s trying to skate circles around Rhys.
I think it was Everest who suggested ice skating today before all of us XO crew needed to be at work. Seeing as though it’s approximately one hundred degrees outside, nobody argued, and we found ourselves in one of the only skating rinks in the city. It’s obvious that none of us know what we’re doing—well, except for Max, who’s weirdly good at this.
Butch looks like a bumbling deer as he tries to make it to the center of the rink. Rhys is keeping Everest steady with a possessive hand around the back of his neck. Knox and Elton—no surprise—are making out by the entrance. I decided to play it safe and am slowly skating my way through the length of thebarrier, holding on tight so I don’t land on my ass. Skylar, my sweet sunshine, has already fallen five times.
Which led me to tell him that perky little bubble butt should only be red and sore because ofme.
“Ooo!” Elton shouts, finally separating long enough from his husband to call out to us. “Group picture!”
Rhys, Butch, and I groan simultaneously as the rest of our group enthusiastically agrees. Elton elegantly skates away from Knox to find someone to take our picture while we get into place in the center of the rink.
“Isn’t this great?” Skylar asks, breathless as he positions himself next to me. “I’m going to frame this.”
I chuckle adoringly at that. We don’t have much unnecessary furniture in our apartment besides one lone bookcase that doesn’t actually have any books on it. Instead, Skylar uses it to hold his memories. There’re dozens of framed photographs on the shelves, most of him and me, but a decent amount are of our little found family.
“It is nice,” I tell him as I peck the top of his head. “We’ll add it to your collection.”
