Page 42 of Breathe Like Hell

In the parking lot of the apartment complex you’re inside right now

Me

How did you find me?

Unblinking, I waited for Micah to start typing. He didn’t. I shut my phone off and stuffed it down in the pile of fuzzy blankets, resigning to ignore him. My stomach was all tied in knots, though. Mila offered me more peach rings, but I declined. I was going to vomit if I ate anything else right now.

The movie played on.

Even though I was trying to pretend otherwise, I was waiting to feel my phone vibrate with Micah’s response. But as the minutes ticked forward, I started to fear that wasn’t going to happen. I could hardly pay any attention to the movie now.

Irritated, I dug around for my phone again and turned it on.

No notifications.

Me

Hello? Are you still here?

No response.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” I said, not waiting for any acknowledgment before I hopped off the couch and speed walked to the bathroom. With the door shut and locked, I slid down to sit on the laminate flooring, my head in my hands.

Another check of my phone, another confirmation that Micah had not answered me.

Why?

WHY?

I’m going fucking insane. I’m losing my mind.

I stood up and slammed my palm on the handle for the faucet, cold water jetting out into the sink. My face was pale in the mirror as I put my wrists under the cool stream. For a second, I almost contemplated sneaking outside and walking straight into the forest, as deep as I could get, until I was entirely lost. Then I’d be alone and defenseless, and Aamon could kill me—or whatever he wanted to do.

Mason suffocating me was something I’d become somewhat accustomed to. Micah joining him, though, was messing with my head.

Better than him hating me.

I tapped out another message to him and sent it, then waited two minutes. He wasn’t replying to me, and I had a feeling he was still waiting outside, refusing to respond so I’d feel uneasy and come to him. It was working.

No reassurance for me until I listened to him.

I left the bathroom, my lie waiting on the tip of my tongue.

“Mason’s here,” I whispered to Mila, setting my hand on her shoulder. “I have to go.”

“Oh, okay.” She twisted to look at me over the back of the couch. “Why doesn’t he let you be here anymore? I’m starting to hate him.”

“It’s complicated. Everything will be back to normal soon, though. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She nodded and squeezed my hand. “Okay. Love you.”

“Love you.”

I waved to Ivan and Katya as I slipped out of the apartment—and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Micah standing right outside on the stair landing, leaning against the railing.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I asked in a harsh whisper. Micah grabbed my wrist to make me walk with him.

“Until Aamon’s dead, you stay with me. I thought you understood that.”