Page 107 of Lumi

CHAPTER 21

Freedom

Lumi

On Thursday night, I was too tired to wait up for the time box to unlock, but Damian set his alarm and woke me up at one a.m.

I shielded my eyes from the sharp light from his reading lamp next to his bed.

“I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” I muttered in a drowsy voice. “Freedom.”

After Damian fished out the key and unlocked the handcuffs, I took the damn things and threw them on the floor with a huff. “Let’s burn them.”

“Never! We’re keepin’ them, and if ye ever develop that annoyin’ habit of runnin’ from a confrontation again, then I’m chainin’ us back together until we work it out.”

Rolling to my side, I smiled with my eyes closed. “This feels so good.”

Damian turned off the light and spooned me. “And what about this? Does spooning feel good?”

I gave a satisfied sigh and pulled his arm closer around me. “It feels like I’m in a cocoon of safety. I used to hate spooning, but never with you.”

Damian buried his nose in my hair. “That should tell ye somethin’.”

Sleep claimed me before I could answer him.

When I woke up the next morning, Damian was on top of me with a scent of minty toothpaste and masculine body wash.

“Good morning, my princess.” He kissed my nose.

“Good morning.” I covered my mouth with my hand, aware that I hadn’t brushed my teeth yet.

“I’m off to work, but I placed a key on the kitchen counter for ye.”

“What time is it?”

“Six-thirty. I need to be at work by seven. I’ll call ye later, all right?”

“All right.”

Damian climbed off me and walked to the door.

“Damian.”

He stopped and turned.

“I need some time alone to process everything.”

He gave a single nod. “I figured ye’d say that.”

“I’ll see you for my birthday party tomorrow at Charles’ and Liv’s house at three then.”

Damian walked back and bent down to kiss me. “I’ll be there.”

After he left, his apartment fell quiet, and I felt a strange emptiness inside me.

I did my morning routine and left for work with a mixture of relief that I had both my hands free and a weird sensation of missing a limb.

Several times, I turned my head to say something and stopped myself. Damian wasn’t there to hear me, and I didn’t have to let anyone know when I needed to use the bathroom or get some water.