She was quiet enough to tell me exactly how she was feeling. We made pancakes and mimosas, and turned onIs It Cakereruns, followed by cheesy romance movies.
Harper cried discreetly when the happily-ever-afters played.
I did too.
She fell asleep early that night, and I headed out with the enforcers. They gave me food to take into my room with me, and I buried myself in work, trying to make sure everything was set up to get the company’s shit in order if I didn’t make it through the next night.
Phyllis and Carter were still arguing, so I sent each of them a strongly worded email about getting over their issues.
I also typed up a quick message for Maverick, leaving it open on my laptop so he’d find it easily, explaining and apologizing.
When he came stumbling inside, I was relieved. He looked a little better than he had either of the last two days. He was still barely functioning, but better was good.
I scrubbed him again in the bathtub, my throat swollen when I realized he would have to take care of his injuries himself tomorrow.
My eyes burned a little.
He told me I smelled like salt again, but he wasn’t coherent enough to realize my tears were behind it.
When we cuddled up in his bed together, him in his wolf form and me holding the warm, furry giant tightly, I waited until he was asleep.
And I cried.
So much.
He was so exhausted it didn’t wake him up, and I eventually fell asleep.
Maverick wasaware enough to notice the smell of tears after the enforcers woke us up the next morning. I told him I was just emotional about him being injured because of me.
Even the lie didn’t make me feel any hollower than I already felt.
He bought it, and was in too much of a hurry to ask more questions. He just kissed me deeply, told me he needed the exercise, and left.
The aching pit in my stomach wasn’t hunger or bloodlust, but it felt surprisingly similar.
Harper looked like she was barely alive when she opened the door to her room. Maverick’s car keys were burning a hole in my bra, since my leggings didn’t have pockets, but the sweatshirt I’d taken from his room was baggy enough to hide them.
We broke out the hard liquor right away. I tried to hide it in mixed drinks, but the enforcers were a little suspicious about the serious day drinking. I could tell.
If Maverick hadn’t been so busy, they would’ve told him, and he would probably have intervened. We’d never talked about alcohol, but I had a feeling his stance on it was similar to his stance on energy drinks, if not stricter.
It didn’t matter though.
He and I would be over soon.
He might even be the one who killed me.
I drank almost as much as Harper, only stopping early so I’d be safe to drive when the time rolled around.
When it did, I tapped her arm lightly.
She was staring expressionlessly at the TV while her glass was clutched tightly between her fingers.
I waited.
When the episode ended, I gently took the cup from her hand and helped her off the bed.
She let me hold her upright.
