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“Princess, don’t cry,” he mutters, dipping to press his mouth to mine. Another set of tears fall as his tongue parts my lips, and I suppress a sob.
I’m going to miss this so damn much.
I’m going to miss him.
I’m going to miss them both.
“Whenever you close your eyes and think of me, just know I’ll be thinking about you too,” he whispers after breaking our kiss. “I’ll be waiting desperately for this to be over so I can run back to you.”
He steps aside to give Azarius space, who pulls me into his arms abruptly, making me lose my balance. I can’t help but giggle past my urge to cry, and he sways back and forth while I’m nestled in his arms.
“No tears,” he says gently. “I want you to smile when you think about me, Darling, because that’s what I’ll be doing every time you cross my mind.”
Even though they aren’t saying it, this sure does feel like a permanent goodbye, but I try to smile for their benefit. I can sob later when I’m alone–I’ll have plenty of time for it.
“Promise you’ll hurry back,” I say.
“Of course.” Azarius dips to kiss me, his lips leading mine in a quick, fiery dance. “I’ll hurry every second I can, even if this jackass tries to slow me down.”
He jerks his thumb over at Elio, who gapes open mouthed at Az’s audacity. I can’t help but laugh.
“Excuse me,” Elio snaps, crossing his arms over his chest. “Who always makes us late for meetings andthenstalls forever during them?”
Azarius shrugs while I’m still in his arms. “Doesn’t ring a bell, sorry.”
Elio mumbles something about being insufferable, and Azarius winks at me. “I’ll hurry. You have my word.”
They lead the way back to the living room and stall for another moment before heading for the front door. When it snaps closed behind them, and I’m completely alone, I finally release the sob I’ve been fighting and gasp as it rips through my chest. I cover my mouth to quiet the sound with trembling fingers and stare at the closed door for several minutes, wishing it would open again and my mates would stroll back into the apartment.
But despite my fizzling hope, I know that won’t happen.
They’re gone, and the countdown to their return has just begun.
ChapterSeventeen
DEVYN
The days get longer, even though I know each one has the same number of minutes in it.
I know because I’ve counted.
And the longer I’m stuck in this apartment, it feels like the walls are closing in.
ChapterEighteen
DEVYN
The television playing neverending reruns in the living room doesn’t keep me company or make me feel less alone, and despite having everything I need to survive in this apartment, I feel like I’ve lost it all. My mates are a realm away, and it’s not like I had anything before our paths crossed.
For the second time in my life, I have nothing, and this time feels so much worse than the first.
My men have ensured the bills will be paid for as long as it takes, so I have no reason to work, and I don’t have any close family–those bridges were burned years ago, and I have no interest in rebuilding them. I’ve thought about texting Cara and asking to come over, but the elaborate story I would have to fabricate about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing might come back to bite me in the ass.
Am I supposed to make up a bunch of lies about Florida? Tell her my men are on a business trip for an indefinite amount of time so I’ve come to visit? How can I possibly explain away my silence for the last several months without her getting suspicious?
Every story I come up with seems more unbelievable than the last, spiking my anxiety. I can’t risk revealing the truth, regardless of how utterly isolated I am.
I’m damned to solitude for the time being while it consumes me, slowly constricting around me like invisible ropes until it feels like I’ll shatter.
