Page 21 of Love Bleeds

My gaze landed on the set of dice Collin had bought for me. They lay on the shelf in front of my carefully curated collection of sci-fi novels. Glow in the dark dice. A full set, from a d4 to a d20. The thing I'd wanted to show Damian, that made me invite him over that fateful night.

I grabbed them all in my hand and stared at them. Heart pounding in my ears, I opened the window and threw the dice out into the night.

It was strangely unsatisfying.

There was no noise as the dice hit the ground, and I couldn't see where they landed.

I turned away from the window and this time, my gaze landed on the Millennium Falcon.

My heart beat even faster as I took it off the shelf. I'd forgotten how heavy the thing was, how massive. It had taken me and Damian half a lifetime to put together. My eyes burned again. I ignored that.

Cold air blew in from the window as I turned that way again, taking my spaceship with me.

The Falcon flew beautifully. At least for a few feet. Then it nosedived and crashed to the ground. The lights weren't on in the yard, so I couldn't see the pieces scatter, but I heard the impact.

Half a lifetime. All that joy.

In the end, it didn't even matter.

* * *

I locked the front door after me when I left. Taking a few steps down the path that led up to the entrance, I studied the house again. After tonight, I wasn't coming back here again. I tried hard not to feel resentful as I looked at the place I used to call my home. I'd been lucky to end up here, instead of in an orphanage or a roster of foster homes. My family wasn't something I took for granted.

Still...

I glanced down at my wrist.

If it wasn't for that stupid mark...

A flicker of movement caught my eye and interrupted my thoughts.

What was that? Some sort of animal? My eyes darted to the bushes that lined the front lawn. Hadn't they rustled just now? I squinted, but it was too dark to make out any shapes.

Suddenly, my phone's ringtone cut through the silence of the yard. Turning toward the street, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and answered. "Yeah?"

"Luke?" It was Collin. Of course.

"I'm okay," I said before my brother could even voice the question. There was no doubt that was why he had called. To check up on me.

"You still at the old house?"

"Did you want me to get anything for you?" I didn'twantto go back in, but if Collin needed me to...

"No, it's fine. Just wondered when you'd be back. Since I'm making dinner."

Sure, that was why. I glanced toward the bushes again. It had probably been nothing. Movement in the trees caught my eyes, though. I squinted. Was that a large bird? “You didn’t send your boyfriend to come get me, did you?” I said into the phone.

Collin sighed. “I told him to hide.”

Even though he couldn’t see me, I rolled my eyes at my brother. “A falcon isn’t exactly inconspicuous.”

“Just come home,” Collin said. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Fine.” I said my goodbyes to my brother, knowing there was no point arguing with him. Then I looked up at the tree. “I’m getting an Uber,” I yelled. “You want to ride along?”

In response, the falcon flapped his wings.

“Okay, I’ll ride by myself then.” I tapped on my phone to access the app I needed. I didn’t begrudge Talon that he’d rather fly than ride in an Uber. Who wouldn’t? I tried to imagine what it would be like to have wings, but couldn’t.

Damian had always wanted to fly, but on a spaceship, not on wings.

With a pang of regret, I thought back to the broken Millennium Falcon.

Looked like neither of us was ever going to take off now.