Page 184 of Composed
Carter exhales a short breath. “Because I couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving them…” He brushes her fringe from her eyes. “Of you leaving us again.”
“I never planned to the first time.”
“Figured.” Carter shrugs. “I don’t blame you for the decisions you made, kiddo, even if I don’t understand them. You were still just a kid. We all were back then. We had no idea what we were doing.”
She trembles.
I tighten my hold, as if my arms alone can fight whatever internal battle she’s facing right now.
Saint sparks a joint.
His slow drag fills the quiet as skunk curls around us.
Then he asks Hendrix, “Bad day?”
“Bad day, bestie.” She drops her head onto my thumping chest.
He offers her the joint. “Wanna talk about it?”
She grips it between shaking fingers and pulls in a slow drag, before handing it back. “Later?”
“Later it is.” He squeezes her thigh and kisses her forehead before standing. Theo slinks to the side of him, twining their hands together. Saint’s lip curve softly. “Better days really do exist, Rix. You’ll see. Just hold on, okay?”
She slides a hand beneath my shirt, fingers splaying over my heart. “I promise.”
“That’s my girl.” He winks, clapping my shoulder as he passes. “See you later.”
I nod. “Yeah. Later.”
Axel and Carter stand too.
They both kiss Hendrix’s hair before slipping out my flat quietly.
The door creaks shut.
I glance over the messy room and sigh.
Hendrix tightens her hold on me.
I push up to standing.
She wraps her legs around my waist, curling her arms around my neck. I feel every beat of her heart against, every breath, and every shudder that passes through her body as I carry her into my bedroom.
I perch her onto the edge of my bed. “Do you want a shower or anything?”
She shakes her head, her eyes shining as they collide with mine.
I sink to my knees and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Are you okay, baby?”
She curls her fingers around my wrist and squeezes the inked Hummingbird. “Not even a little.”
My heart cracks.
She’s never once answered that question like that. Even back then, when I knew our end was looming, she’d just brush me off with a smile and tell me that everything was fine.
“Will you be okay?”Will we?
She doesn’t answer, just shuffles along the bed and pats the space beside her.
