Gods & Monsters(42)

He laughs. “Yeah. That’s one way to put it.”

Well, that’s weird. But who am I to judge?

We put our luggage in one of the two rooms located in the back of the house, through a hallway. The room only has a mattress — no bed — a small closet and of course, a floor-length mirror. I giggle at Abel but he only gives me a smoldering look, like he’s thinking something dirty.

After taking turns showering in the world’s tiniest bathroom where you can’t fit with your arms spread wide, we order a pizza and eat it up like we’ve never eaten before. It’s not until I’m licking my fingers clean and watching Abel laugh with Ethan that I realize I didn’t say grace before eating. This is the first time I’ve missed it. It makes me think of home. Of Mom and Dad.

By now, they must know that I’m gone. They must know that I chose Abel over them. Over everything. Are they looking for me? Sky would be their first suspect. God, I didn’t even think about how this would affect her. Maybe I should call her.

“What’s the story here, then? Are you guys running from the cops, pissed off parents? Both?” Ethan jokes, sitting on the floor with Abel.

I stiffen on the couch; the pizza sits like a rock in my stomach. Abel notices my distress and chimes in, “Why, you afraid of a little trouble?”

“Shut it, asshole. I’m serious. If that’s the case, then you guys need to be careful, you get me? Pissed off parents have a lot of power, trust me. Speaking from experience.”

Abel’s jaw clenches and I’m regretting my choice of seat. I should’ve sat closer to him, where I could touch him. As it is, my words will have to be enough. “My parents can’t take me away. They’re not that powerful.”

“No one is that powerful,” Abel says, curling his fists. “Not a single person. I’ll fucking kill them first.”

For a few seconds, all I can do is watch my fiancé. All I can do is stare into his rage-filled eyes, his beaten-up face. His violence soothes me, even as it stokes my own anger. He’s right. No one can tear us apart.

I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. It’s imperative that we get married as soon as possible because I won’t be able to rest easy until then. I won’t be able to rest easy until I’m completely his.

“Whoa,” Ethan breathes. “Okay, that’s settled, then. My new roommates are a bunch of murderers. So how about a beer and a little Netflix? You know, to chill out?”

The moment’s broken. The intensity is gone. And for some reason, it makes me giggle. Maybe it’s the exhaustion and the entire surreal quality of this situation that makes me laugh. I slap my hand on my mouth and Abel’s lips twitch.

“Netflix’s great,” I say once my laughter is under control.

I crawl over to Abel and tuck myself into his body, as we watch something mindless on TV. I’m only half paying attention because Abel and Ethan are chatting and making jokes together.

It makes me realize that I’ve never seen Abel this happy. He laughs with me, chuckles. But he never really had anyone back in our town. He had a few acquaintances at school but they weren’t really his friends.

Abel was trapped back there.

Because of me. He wouldn’t leave because that town was my home. I’m so glad we’re out of there. So glad that we’re done with that place.

Things are working out already. Ethan’s a photographer too, and he says that he’s going to bring Abel to his studio and try to hook him up with a job. Isn’t that wonderful?

Abel’s going to be a photographer and I’m going to look for a job of my own and try to write in my free time. Isn’t that what I wanted to do? I’ve always wanted to be a writer and now I’m in the most artsy city in the world. Imagine all the stories New York has. Imagine all the people I can meet and write about.

I twist the ring on my finger, and it catches Abel’s attention. Ethan’s still saying something but Abel’s watching me. Smiling, I mouth I love you, and he gives me his signature reply: a smirk.

Yup, New York is going to be the best adventure of our lives.





That boy will be your downfall.

I jerk awake at my dad’s voice ringing in my ears. For a second, I feel empty, bereft, like I’ve been sleeping with sadness wrapped around my body instead of a blanket.

But then everything rushes back. The rain, the running, Abel’s proposal, the drive, the wind in my hair, the highway. New York.

We’re safe. We’re in New York. And I’m sleeping next to the boy I love.

His arm is thrown over my waist, almost flattening me to the bed. Oh wait, we only have a mattress. His bronzed fingers are super close to my breasts. Actually, his thumb is touching my nipple that now stands to attention. My back is flush with his chest – naked chest – and his big thigh is wedged between my legs.

I’m sweating with my own personal heater at my spine. Well, what else can you expect when you sleep with the sun? The window right above us doesn’t have curtains or bars like my old window, so I can see pieces of the sky. It’s pink and purple with dawn a few minutes away.

Biting my lip, I wiggle my butt and feel his dick jerk. Abel hums but doesn’t wake up. He must be dead tired. After an early dinner last night, we both crashed. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and I guess he did too. The events of the last forty-eight hours had sucked us dry.