As She Fades(62)

“Yep,” I said, forcing a smile.

He saw the coffee cup in my hand and grinned. “Already seen Vale, then. I know she was happy to have you back. Girl has worried herself sick over you.”

He said it like that was funny. But no one had ever worried themselves sick over me. Uncle D worried about me, but no beautiful female with eyes like the sky had ever given a shit if I was hurting. They wanted to fuck me, but that was where it ended.

“Yeah, I did.”

“I thought about inviting her and Crawford tonight, but I wasn’t sure how that would go with you. I know y’all have gotten close. She’s around you more than Crawford lately—and honestly, that scared the shit out of me at first. But, watching you with her, I trust you. Vale’s hard not to want to move mountains for.”

“I invited her friend at the coffee shop,” I blurted out.

Knox stilled a moment, then looked at me, confused. “Oh” was all he said.

He didn’t need to say more. That simple word was enough.

“I figured it would reassure her I was okay, you know?”

Knox only nodded.

He was concerned. I could see it even though he was trying to hide it.

“You said she was studying?” he asked.

“Yeah. I just texted her.”

He headed for the door. “I’ll see you later,” he called out before he was gone.

Shit.

Damn it all to hell.

He was going to check on her, because he was worried she was upset. Damn, I hated myself.

*

I DIDN’T SEE Knox again until that night. And when I did, he seemed distant. Which answered my question. Vale was not okay and it was my fault.

Isla was nervous most of the evening until I got her to play pool, then she danced with a few of the guys when they asked and I assured her it was fine. But not once did I leave the crowd with her. I made sure Knox saw that I wasn’t getting her alone. That was the last thing on my mind. I was worried about Vale, and as soon as I could call it a night with Isla, I was going to find her.

I just had to make sure Isla had a good time, because if she didn’t, I knew Vale would be upset about that, too. When one in the morning rolled around and Isla was drunk and still dancing, I figured I better get her back to her place safely.

I dodged another girl by walking off before she could speak. I’d already been propositioned to do, watch, and experience things that were typically too hot to turn down. Fucking-blow-your-load hot, but not now. Vale had changed everything.





CHAPTER FIFTY

VALE

THE LONG WHITE hallway seemed endless. Like I could never get to where I was going. Where was I going? I was lost. Looking for someone. Crawford. He was missing. That was it. I hadn’t seen Crawford. I had to find him. The never-ending stretch of white walls and tile floors smelled of antiseptic and death. I was in a hospital. I’d seen too many of those.

I wanted out. I didn’t want to be here. Where was everyone? How had I gotten to be so alone? Who left me behind? Was it Crawford? I had to find him. Someone. I didn’t like it here.

The walls felt like they were closing in, and my heart pounded in my chest as panic began to set in. I started to run. I had to get out of this. Find the light. Find the way to him. To where I needed to be.

Then a door opened and he stepped out. His long, dark hair tucked behind his ears and his emerald-green eyes on mine. I inhaled deeply for the first time. My heart slowed and I stopped running. The walls opened back up and I was going to be okay. I wasn’t lost now. I wasn’t alone.

He was there now. In front of me.

“I thought you might need a decent cup of joe,” he said.…

My eyes opened and I was once again in my dorm room staring at the ceiling. Although I had never been in a long white hallway, lost with walls closing in, there had been something so real and familiar about that dream. As if Slate had been there before. When I was lost. But that didn’t make sense.

“I thought you might need a decent cup of joe” seemed so real.

I sat up and my phone began to buzz. I reached over and picked it up from the nightstand to see Slate’s name lighting up the screen. He was calling me. Why? It was three in the morning.

As hurt as I was, I couldn’t ignore him. He might need me.

So I answered.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Well, here I am.”

“No, face-to-face. Please. I’m just outside.”

“Where’s Isla? Is she okay?”

“I took her home. She’s passed out in her room. She’s fine.”

I paused. Why did he want to talk at three in the morning? “Are you drunk?”

“No. I didn’t drink anything tonight.”

“Okay. Let me put on a hoodie.”

“Thank you.”

I didn’t say “you’re welcome” as I hung up. If I hadn’t just had that dream, I probably wouldn’t be going outside to talk to him. Typically I had a little more pride than this.

I eased out of bed and quietly put on the hoodie I had gotten when I was sixteen on a trip to Edinburgh. Then I made sure I had my key to get back in before slipping from the room and down to see Slate.

When I stepped outside into the cool night air, Slate was waiting on the front steps of the building. He looked tired and his hair was slightly messy, like he’d had a rough evening.