AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A soft knock at the door has me scrambling away from the window once more, and I turn just in time to see Cove’s cheerful face peeking through the crack in the door. My lips turn up in a smile just at the sight of him.
“Oh good, you’re awake. Did you sleep okay?” His eyes flash with sympathy and I immediately feel bad, the grin falling from my face.
“I did. That makes me a horrible person doesn’t it?” Someone died, and I slept soundly.Oh god, I’m awful.
“Not at all. Stop that.” He steps fully into the room, coming over to me and wrapping me in his arms. I don’t hate it. At all. In fact, it feels achingly familiar and comforting.
“Thanks.” I quickly step away and he lets me, my heart panging at the loss of his warmth. I don’t know why I pulled away so quickly, when all I wanted to do was stay.
“The others are downstairs.”
He hesitates and I fill in the unspoken blanks, flatly. “They have questions.”
“Yeah,” he replies apologetically, even though it wasn’t a question. I nod once.
“I do too.”
“Okay.” That seems to take him aback a little but he recovers fast, returning my nod. “Do you want to shower first? I left some clothes out for you this morning.”
I glance down at the sweats I’m wearing which Cove gave me last night. He’s already done so much for me. Catching sight of the blood dried under my fingernails, I shudder and commit to asking for even more from him. I hate it, but what choice do I have?
“Please. If that’s okay? Sorry. I’ll be quick.”
“Hey, there’s no rush. We’re not going anywhere, and Reef will make us all some breakfast first anyway. Take your time, you know where to find us when you’re done. Bathroom’s through there.” He points at the door directly opposite his own.
“Okay, thanks.”
“Use whatever you need. No need to thank me. And don’t apologise again,” he adds with a grin as I open my mouth to do exactly that.
I close it with a snap and give him a wan smile.
Once he leaves, I dart across the hallway into the bathroom which is decorated similarly to Cove’s room – white with driftwood accents and green towels – and the open plan living space I saw downstairs last night. The shower over the roll top, claw-foot bath quickly heats up, and I grab a towel from the pile before stripping and climbing under the spray. The shower head is too large for the small space – one of those rainfall head ones – but I appreciate how good the water feels as it washes away the grime of the night before. I close my eyes so I don’t have to witness it washing down the plug hole. If only memories could be so easily washed away.
Fuck. What happened last night? It’s all hazy. Flashes of memories assault me as I unwittingly open my eyes and take in the bloodstains on my skin like they’ll offer me answers. Thank god Cove took care of Summer’s dress last night. I can’t imagine the state of it. I’ll be forever grateful that he spared me having to witness that on top of everything else.
I hastily shampoo my hair, grabbing whatever’s beside the shower and then use the same product to lather my body. It smells heavenly, but it’s not a scent I know. I move quickly but methodically, scrubbing at every inch of my skin like I can scratch away the memories of what happened at the restaurant.
Shit, Summer! I need to let her know I’m okay and alert her to what happened. No doubt she’ll be out of her mind with worry. But…where’s my phone? I definitely remember having it last night: I called Cove from it. Okay, so maybe I don’trememberper se, but I’m logical enough to work out that’s what must have happened in order for me to have ended up back here at his place.
I finish up in the shower and shut the water off, reaching for a small towel to ring out and wrap up my hair. I cringe a little at how pristine the pale towels are, hoping that none of the colour runs from my hair. It’s pretty faded now. I should probably ask Summer to redo it. There just didn’t seem to be much point, what with never going out.
I don’t even know how she convinced me to go to that restaurant last night. I definitely didn’t want to.
I wrap a second, larger towel around my body. It absolutely dwarfs me and surrounds me in a fluffy cocoon. Like being wrapped in a cloud. It’s bliss. Padding over to the mirror at the sink, I wipe the steam away as best I can and take in my reflection. I look better than I have in ages. My eyes are brighter, and the bags under them are much less pronounced. It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in months. A sobering thought which wracks me with guilt.A girl died for me to look and feel this good.
Without dwelling on that thought, I squeeze a little toothpaste onto my finger and brush my teeth as best I can, ignoring the four toothbrushes in the holder right in front of me. I could take a guess that Cove’s is probably the blue one, but the thought of sharing something so personal grosses me out. Shampoo, a bed, and clothes I can cope with. Even bodily fluids at a push. But intimate items…never.
Looking around for the clothes Cove left out for me, I shake my head at what an idiot I am. I left them in his room. Still, it’s only a dash across the hallway, and Cove said everyone was waiting downstairs for me.
I wrench open the door, planning to make a run for it, but smacking into a solid wall of muscle with enough force to send me sprawling backward onto my ass. Or it would, if the wall didn’t reach out in a desperate attempt to save me and grab the towel. I watch in dismay as the tuck comes undone and I continue to fall backwards in slow motion while the towel completely unravels and falls from my body.
Or is my body unravelling and falling from the towel?
Holy shit. I hit the ground hard. It fucking hurts. I shiver at the cold caressing my skin.
Why am I cold?
Because the towel is gone and I’m naked. Naked in front of…
