Willing Captive(66)

Letting go of my hand, he cups my cheek and gently caresses it with his thumb. His nose touches mine. He breathes me in, then places his lips on mine in a kiss so gentle it makes my heart ache. Reaching up, I grip his upper arms in a death hold and deepen the kiss, crying all the while.

I don’t want this to end.

He tastes just like I remember. His lips feel the same, too. Unable to stand this sweet torture any longer, I pull away, dip my head, and sob silently.

“Please look at me, Lily.”

So I do.

I open my eyes and look right into his deep blue gaze. I bark out a shocked laugh, reach over, and squeeze his hands. Laugh-crying, I look up to the sky. “Thank you. Thank you, God.”

My head swirls. Sounds fade. And blackness overcomes me.





Chapter Twenty-Three

Homecoming





Lily





My heavy head pounds.

And the yelling doesn’t help.

“You are out of your f*cking mind! Do you know that? You couldn’t have waited like I asked? Nooo.” That sounds like Rock.

“You think you could wait if it were Boo?”

I know that voice.

My body breaks into goosebumps and I bury myself further into the covers of my bed, listening.

Silence, then, “Yeah. That’s what I thought. Been too long already. Couldn’t wait.” Pause, then, “Couldn’t.”

Rock barks out a humorless laugh, “Yeah, you did real good, buddy. Your girl just fainted in a cemetery!” He claps, “Bravo.”

Silence.

A long silence.

He says quietly, “I just couldn’t wait to see her, man. She’s all I think about.”

My heart pounds.

He sounds so dejected. There are so many things I need to ask. I need answers. I’m confused and still very much mourning him, even though he’s here.

My mind is elsewhere. Left the building. Gone.

Slowly, I get out of bed without making a noise and creep down the hall. When I get there, I hear Nox ask, “Where’s Boo?”

Rock replies on an exhale, “She didn’t want to come.”

Wow. That hurts.

I love Boo.

He adds, “Too hard, man. She couldn’t say goodbye again. Fucked her up last time. Cried for weeks.”

Shit. That hurts even more. But I get it. I was the same.

Nox calls out, “I know you’re there, baby.”

Busted.

My heart palpitates. I’m worried. And nervous.

He says softly, “You take your time, princess. I know this isn’t easy.”

Clutching at the corner of the wall, I close my eyes, and swallow hard. Giving myself an internal pep talk, I straighten and walk out into the kitchen-slash-lounge-room-slash-dining-room.

What? My apartment is small, okay?

My heart stops at the sight of him.

He’s real.

And hurt.

Sitting on my crappy secondhand sofa, he reaches to the right of him for his cane and stands, smiling softly.

My stomach flips.

I missed that smile. I saw that smile in my dreams every night for six months.

I thought that smile was dead.

My body trembles. Completely overwhelmed, I cover my face with my hands, and burst into tears. Nox moves to come to me, but Rock beats him to it with, “Don’t worry, man. I got her.”

Rock wraps an arm around my waist and holds me steady while I cry. Wiping at my tears with shaking hands, I look over at Nox. My breath hitches. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Gripping his cane so tightly his knuckles turn white, his face pained, he shifts from foot-to-foot. And just like he used to, he says something so perfect that I shiver. “I promised I’d come for you.” Still standing, he asks quietly, “I’m sorry, babe. Do you mind if I sit?”

My head clears, and I notice his hand on his cane is shaking as if he can’t hold himself up any longer. I nod and he sits back, breathing heavily.

All that from standing a few minutes?

Placing my hand on Rock’s at my waist, I squeeze and he releases me. Suddenly stronger than I’ve been in an age, I walk over to sofa and stand in front of Nox. He whispers, “Hey, Maude.”

Biting my lip to hold back my smile, I whisper back, “Hi, Hank.”

It’s slightly awkward. It feels like I’m stuck in a dream. But my heart kick-starts after six months of hibernation.

He doesn’t move to touch me and I’m grateful. Too much is happening right now.

I take a moment to search him.

This Nox is not the same Nox I grew to love. There’s something missing from this Nox. I can’t tell what yet, but it almost looks as if he’s lost a part of himself. A part of his soul.

There is scarring all over his hands and some on his face and neck.

He looks tired. And defeated.

His hair is long now. So long, that he runs his hand through it to keep it out of his eyes.

Those eyes.

I remember those eyes.

As if he hears my mental thoughts, he looks up. His icy-blue eyes meet mine and I inhale quickly.

Stepping a little closer, I move between his legs, holding his gaze all the while. His eyes flash before they turn soft. Reaching up, he takes hold of my hand and mutters, “Hey baby.”