Page 37 of Justice

Matty had moved in front of a large cabinet that surrounded the TV, his hands on his hips. “Hmm….Seb, can you open the top cupboards for me?”

I should tell him not to call me that. I hadn’t let anyone call me that in a very long time.

But fuck if I didn’t like the sound of it coming from his mouth.

“Sure.” I crowded up close behind him, leaning over him to open the doors that were out of his reach. “Holy shit…”

“I know it’s a lot,” Matty said sheepishly, his shoulders slumping. “I think I have a problem.”

I eyed the countless balls of yarn filling the space. He had to have every colour and thickness available. “You do have a problem. You need more storage.”

Matty turned to smile up at me softly, his eyes brimming with happiness. The darkness that had lived in me so long receded a little bit more, the old me yearning to push to the surface.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Here,” I said gruffly, grabbing his bag of new purchases from the floor. “You make yourself another cup of tea while I find room for this lot.”

“Thank you,” Matty said. Then he did something entirely unexpected.

He rested one hand on my chest and rose on his toes.

And brushed his lips over my cheek.

Heat exploded in me, starting at the point where our skin had met and spreading like a wildfire. It rushed through me, battling back the darkness even further.

Matty bounced off, humming under his breath like he had no idea what that simple touch had done to me.

And he never will know, I told myself sternly, turning my attention back to the cupboards.

With my height, it was easy for me to see into the cupboards. I’d need to do some rearranging to fit in Matty’s latest purchases.

I was just starting on the second cupboard when my fingers brushed against an unusual texture.

Frowning, I pushed the yarn aside to reveal a pair of red Converse shoes hidden from sight, shoved right against the back of the cupboard. What on earth were they doing there?

I pulled them down, turning to ask Matty if they needed to be there.

He was walking back into the room, a mug of tea in his hand. “Seb, are you sure you don’t want any?—”

His words faded away as he saw what I was holding. The blood drained from his face as he swayed on the spot.

I saw what was about to happen a split second before the cup slipped.

Dropping the shoes, I raced across the room, clearing the sofa in a single jump. I had Matty in my arms before the cup hit the floor.

It smashed on the wooden boards, right where Matty’s bare feet had been a second before. The scalding liquid hit the bottoms of my legs, soaking my trousers.

“Oh my god,” Matty yelped. “I’m so sorry. Your skin!”

“It’s okay,” I lied, carrying him over to the sofa. I couldn’t move past the fact that his whole body was shaking. “It missed me.”

“I’m so sorry. Oh god, how could I be so careless? I didn’t mean to…”

Matty was babbling non-stop. I sat on the sofa, Matty straddling my lap. I pulled him close to my chest, one hand in his hair, the other around his back.

“Matty, it’s okay. Just breathe. I’ve got you. Breathe.”

He was shaking still, but little by little, he relaxed. His head came to rest on my shoulder, his breath hot against my neck.

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