Page 72 (2/2)

His fingers glanced over his cheek, and my stomach ached as he flinched “Sure”

Anika blew out a trehter cut through her fear “God I’ I’m so relieved”

“Yeah,” I e to his already harsh face “Me too” I cleared ot him”

Vik stood, walked over to my kitchen sink, and leaned over it He blocked one nostril and blew hard out of his nose My stoulated blood landed in the sink with a light ping

Anika chuckled in relief “Yeah Thanks for letting me know”

I didn’t bother with niceties I hung up, takingin fall by my side as my heart ached at the state of him

With his hands resting on the edge, his tall foro home like this”

“Home” My brow quirked “With your ht?” I paused “Back ho I hadmood, I blew out a breath, then ran a hand downthe dae “No I don’t suppose you could”

“I thought ht you ht still have some of my shit here”

I did

Oh, I planned on letting go, but that did not go as intended, and after due can, I foundit hours later, in tears, utterly asha so inconsequential as a pair of his workout sweats and a sihts when I really missed him, I would slide that tee over my pillowcase and breathe it in until I fell into a restless sleep

“Iin my closet” In the top left-hand corner, behind the cream-colored box, hidden ahere no one could possibly find it I couldn’t even hide my disappointment as I focused on his messed-up face “That needs to be cleaned up, and you need to shower, so go on up, and I’ll be there in a minute”

Vik was not oblivious His watchful eyes had to see the apprehension rushing throughoff the sink, holding his ribs, and leaving hts

Between Vik’s inability to talk to me and Anika’s odd behavior, I was stuck so constantly pushed away by both as though I couldn’t relate