Page 57 (1/2)

“God” Alessio ran a hand down his face “You’re so tiring, woman”

He sounded so drained, so very weary, that I decided to give hiainst the headboard and pushed down the need to fuck with him some more “Look I’oing on at the …”

“Each other?” he offered, and I nodded

“And Sasha is…” I paused

“An asshole,” Alessio provided

“Well, yeah”

This was exactly why I hung out with Alessio I was under no illusions about the person he was He was cold, and hard, and he could be downright cruel But still, he understood me

“Cora is studying Anika is around, but I don’t feel right piling my crap onto her And Vik…”

My heart squeezed

Our current sleeping situation hadn’t mended the invisible wall between us Every so often, soet frustrated about work or eneral Someone would pissthat I wanted to share And there was only one person I wanted to share those things with

I had lost count of the nu out a text or hadto share ers

The unfortunate fact was he wasn’t mine to call anymore

It was rough

Suddenly, after thirteen years, I didn’t knohere I fit in And it was a new experience

Alessio looked athard, searching for so for, but he sighed, then finally said, “All right, get up We’ll get coffee and”—his lip curled as he said the dreaded word—“talk”

He slipped out of bed, wearing nothing but gray boxer briefs, and as he dragged on his jeans, I stealthily took outon a navy long-sleeved tee When he bent over to put on his shoes, I quickly snapped a pic of his butt and sent it to Cora He stepped into the joining bathrooot a text back

Cora: Um… is that who I think it is?

Me: It is