AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her brows pull closer. “His three-point what?”
“Basketball. He’s gonna go pro, and I’m gonna watch him climb that mountain.”
For just a moment, I had her happy. Sweet, sly, beautifully smiling. But now her levity makes way for worry that drops a ball of lead into my gut.
“What?” I push up to sit and press my back to the headboard. The covers drop to my hips, and Minka’s eyes lower to the chain that stops in the middle of my chest. “Mayet?” If we were in the same room, in the same bed, I’d place my fingers beneath her chin and force her to look at me. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re already getting attached,” she sighs. “And he’s your brother. Yourbabybrother, who isn’t even an adult yet, which makes it perfectly reasonable for you to want to be there for him. But he lives in New York, Archer. He lives all the way over there, and I live—”
“In the apartmentweshare,” I cut in when realization rings in my mind. “I’m coming home soon, Mayet. I’ll be in New York for a matter ofdays, we’ll take care of business and clean up the mess the Pastores are trying to make. Then I’ll come home, and Cato can live wherever the fuck he wants. Here. There. With Felix, or in my old apartment. I don’t give a shit. He has to go to school before he gets to go pro, and there are colleges all across the country. He can play for the Knicks, or he can play for the Condors. But I swear, Minka, I don’t plan my living arrangements around him. I plan them around me and you.”
“You promise?” Nibbling on her bottom lip, she rolls the skin between her teeth and brings a hand up to rub her eye. “You’re coming home?”
“As soon as I can. I swear.”
And because the circles underlining her eyes grow darker with every minute we speak, my brows pinch tight. “Did you infuse tonight?”
She drops her hand and stares at me for a moment. “Huh?”
“It’s infusion night, and you’re really fucking wrecked. I can see how tired you are. Did you do your meds?”
“Oh… yeah.” She takes a deep breath, and exhales so it ends with a nod. “Yeah, I did it while Fletch was here. That’s why I’m tired.”
“Fletch was there?” The strap on her arm falls askew once more, but this time, I think of my best friend seeing that. “At the apartment?”
“Mmm. He brought dinner and told me to infuse while we ate. He didn’t want me to forget.”
Be cool, Archer Malone. Be fucking cool.
“Did he bring Mia over too?”
She shakes her head, just long enough to spike my temper and make me wonder why the hell not, but then she nods and releases a heavy yawn that digs into my psyche and chips something from my soul.
“He brought Mia, but not Penny.” Her words slur a little as she speaks. “Have you met Penny?”
“No. He’s keeping her away. Did you and Mia have a nice time hanging out?”
“Mm. I let her push a little constituted factor through the tubes.” Pausing, she closes her eyes and sniggers. “She’s rough and went hard.”
“Which is why you’re so tired,” I conclude. “Headache?”
“Nothing crazy. And now that you called, I can stop being angry and vulnerable, and start getting sleepy for sleep.”
“Sleepy for sleep?” I tease.
I wish I was there. Holding her. Plumping her pillow and readying it for when she inevitably lets go. I wish I was in our bed right now, stroking her thigh and hugging her back, knowing I won’t get laid on infusion night, but being okay with it anyway, because I love her more than I love to fuck.
Plus, the morningafterinfusion night tends to rock both our worlds.
“I love you, Archer.” Flickering her eyes open, she slips back under the covers and turns to her side in search of comfort. “I was really,reallyangry at you.”
“And how do you feel now?” Following her lead, I slide under the covers and lie on my right side, just like when we’re in the same bed and we’re turned toward one another. “Are you still angry at me?”
“It’s in a box,” she yawns again. “Waiting for you to come home so I can tear you the hell up for being a jackoff.”
A soft chuckle rolls along my throat. “Fair.” Swallowing, I lick my lips and relax. If I try hard enough, I could almost pretend we’re in the same bed. “How was work?”
“Crap.” Her eyes close, and her breath comes out that sweet way it does when she’s on the edge of consciousness.
