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I’m actually starting to miss Brian’s presence a bit. As much as I thought I wanted some alone time, I miss having someone else around.
All the boxes are unpacked, and all the furniture is in place. There isn’t a coffee shop in walking distance of the new apartment, but Deklan said we would talk about getting me my own car when he returned.
I’m not sure how I’m going to approach getting my old job back. It’s hardly convenient now, and Deklan’s paranoia hasn’t waned. Nothing has changed about my feelings on the subject—I need somewhere to go, something to do, and somebody to see. I hope I don’t have to convince my husband of that fact all over again.
I yawn and glance at the clock. It’s much later than I realized. I look up into the cabinet once more, decide the dishes are as organized as they are going to get, and close the cabinet door.
I hear a beep from the burner phone on the counter. It’s a message from Brian saying Deklan has been delayed and won’t be returning until tomorrow. As I’m reading it, the phone actually rings.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mrs. K. It’s Brian.”
“Hey, Brian.”
“I was about to head back your way, but the boss wants me to do one more thing for him. I should be back late tonight, but I don’t wanna wake you. I’ll just park outside and watch the place from the car.”
“That’s fine.”
“I figured.” Brian laughs. “I know you didn’t like me sleeping on the couch.”
“You were fine.”
“Uh huh.” He makes an exaggerated snoring sound, and we both laugh. “I’ll see ya in the morning, Mrs. K.”
“See ya then.”
I head to the bathroom for a shower. The bathroom in the new place is awesome all around, but my favorite part is the huge rainfall showerhead. I can stand under it for an hour and just let it pour over me. The stall is also big enough for both Deklan and me to shower together, and the ceiling is high enough that Deklan doesn’t have to duck to keep from hitting the showerhead.
The lavender scented soap makes me even sleepier than I was before. I stumble out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around me and crawl straight into bed. Once I’m under the sheets, I pull the towel off and toss it in the general direction of the bathroom. I’ll pick it up tomorrow.
I shiver, suddenly wishing I’d kept hold of the towel. The bed is insanely big without Deklan in it. The sheets are cold, too. All I can think about is how much I wan
t to feel his body next to mine and envelop myself in the heat.
Yes, I had welcomed a little break from Deklan and his sour mood, but I miss him now. In fact, I feel very alone and vulnerable at the moment. Brian was right—I wasn’t happy about him sleeping on the couch while Deklan was gone—but now I wish I could hear his snoring.
Mostly, I want my husband back.
Tears fall as I grab Deklan’s pillow and hold it to my chest. I wish it smelled more like him, but laundry had been done the day before he left, and the pillowcase just smells like detergent. I stare into the darkness until the tears dry up, and exhaustion takes over.
At some point in the night, I wake, freezing.
I’m still gripping Dek’s pillow, but the blankets are all on the floor. I’ve never kicked them off like that before, and I wonder what I had been dreaming about. I shiver as I climb out of bed to retrieve the blankets.
A soft click from the other room captures all my attention.
“Brian?” I call out softly but get no answer.
My heart begins to pound. I call his name a little louder, but there is no reply. I grab the end of the sheet and hold it to my chest as I tiptoe to the nightstand and grab the gun concealed inside. I check the barrel, just like Deklan taught me, to make sure there’s a round in the chamber. I peer around the edge of the door, but I don’t see or hear anything.
Stepping out into the kitchen, I can see there is no one else is in the apartment, but I can feel another presence. I sniff the air, almost positive there is a hint of cologne, but neither Deklan nor Brian wears any. Maybe no one is here now, but I’m sure someone was. I check the apartment door and find the deadbolt unlocked.
I turn it quickly as my heart pounds in my chest. I’m pretty sure I locked it before I went to bed. Then again, it’s a new place, and I’m not comfortable here yet. Maybe I did forget. Maybe the noise I heard was the refrigerator or the furnace.
I consider calling Deklan, but I’m not even sure what I’d say to him, and I don’t want to give him something else to worry about. I could call Brian, but if I did, he would tell Deklan all about it. If he told Dek, Brian would be in trouble for sleeping in the car. For all I know, it was Brian who stopped in to grab something he forgot, and that was the noise I heard.
What about the cologne smell?
