Page 52 of Find Me

“Please don’t ask me how. I can’t. I just…can’t,” I begged, and they kept quiet, waiting for me to continue on. “I was reliving that moment in my dream and it felt so real. It always does when I dream about that night. The smells. The sounds. What I felt in that moment, only it’s a thousand times worse because I already know what’s going to happen and I’m helpless to stop it.” A few tears escaped my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. “She was so scared.” My voice broke and I took a minute to regain my composure. I couldn’t tell them any more. I’d probably already said too much. Thankfully, they didn’t push for more.

“What time is it?” I asked them.

Colt reached over to my nightstand where his phone was. “It’s just after six.”

“We don’t have to go into work until nine,” Creed said.

Colt looked to me. “Why don’t we try to get a few more hours of sleep?”

I was itching for a run. I needed to escape the anguish that weighed heavily on my heart. However, running wasn’t an option. My legs were still sore.

“You’re not going running, babe. I can see you thinking about it,” Colt said. “Don’t do that to yourself. It’d do your body good if you got some more rest.”

I nodded “I know.”

We crawled back under the covers, with me lying between them. Creed pulled me close until my head was resting on his chest and Colt curled up behind me, with his arm around my waist. Being sandwiched between them wasn’t an escape, but I felt my sorrow and fear slowly seep away. Being held by them was better than an escape. It was relief, and for the first time in what felt like forever, it was a little easier to breathe.

18

“Shi, you ready to go?!”I heard Creed yell from the front of the house. He was putting the emergency spare key I’d given the guys a few days ago to use. I’d decided to give them a key after they had slept over. Something had slightly shifted that night and after that horrible day at the gym. They had really been there for me and that had deepened our friendship. So it had felt right to give them a key to hold onto in case I ever lost my own or was ever locked out. However, Creed using it this morning gave me the impression that the twins had other plans for it.

“Almost, I’m back here!” I shouted. I returned my attention to my bathroom mirror and continued applying a dark magenta lipstick. I’d decided to dress a little brave today by wearing a white, off-the-shoulder romper with beautiful magenta flowers on it. My scar on my shoulder was barely covered. The scars on my wrists and the one going up my arm were on display. Well, one wrist was covered. I’d put on my sister’s rose gold cuff. I’d paired the romper with nude peep-toe wedges that had straps that covered my ankle scars perfectly. I had my anklet tracker tucked into my bra. It wasn’t an ideal place to put it, but it would be visible with my shoes and I didn’t want anyone asking me about it.

I had my lavender hair down and straightened. It was getting really long—almost reaching to the middle of my back. My lips were bold to match the flowers on my romper. The rest of my makeup was shimmery and light.

I was finishing the last little touches to my makeup when Creed appeared behind me in my bathroom mirror. I smiled at him. His brows rose as his eyes trailed from my head to my toes. I turned around to face him. “I just need to grab my backpack.”

He nodded as he continued to stare at me.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m trying to think of a way to get you to lift your kissing ban,” he said, taking a step toward me.

I took a step back, bumping into the counter. “We can’t kiss.”

He put his hands on my hips, molding the front of his body with mine. “Do you want to kiss me?”

My heart began to pound in my chest. I did want to kiss him. Badly.

But…Colt.

He stared at me with desire. It was kryptonite to my restraint. “Creed,” I begged, sounding a little breathless. I was hoping he would be the strong one.

He let out a heavy sigh and released me. “Go get your bag.”

I had to squeeze by him because he didn’t move out of the way. He followed me into my room. I grabbed my backpack off my bed, and we headed out.

Colt was already in the car waiting for us. “Hey, babe,” he said distractedly as he tapped away on his phone when I slid into the backseat.

“Hey,” I greeted back, but I didn’t think he heard me.

Colt cursed, tossing his phone in the cup holder in the center console before shifting the car into gear and driving off.

“What’s up?” Creed asked him.

“Daniel went to Cassy’s party last weekend. All she did was talk shit to anyone who would listen,” he grumbled angrily.

“About?” Creed asked.