Page 16

The air leaves my lungs. My heart stutters.

He says it like it’s simple.

Like one, two, three.

Like love doesn’t come with a cost.

Like we’re not already drowning in the consequences of last night.

“Words are easy,” I whisper. “But you? You hurt me. More than once. And I don’t have the luxury of trusting you again just because the bond between us is singing.”

There’s no point in denying the bond between us anymore.

“I know I hurt you,” he says, stepping so close I feel his heat. “And I will spend every day proving to you that I’m not that man anymore. That I see you. I don’t want anything from you except your truth. So, tell me, baby…do you regret me? Or just what happened?”

I swallow hard, eyes locked on him. “I don’t know.”

It’s the truth. And it breaks me to say it.

He exhales slowly, his jaw twitching. Then, gently, he touches my hand. Not possessive. Not demanding. Just there.

“Don’t run,” he murmurs. “Not from me. Not from this. Let me take you home. Please.”

Something in me softens. Not because I’m ready to trust him again. But because I’m so, so tired of carrying everything alone.

“Fine,” I whisper. “Just a ride home.”

The ride back home is quiet. While I'm questioning my thought process about why on earth I would let him figure out where I live or risk him seeing Lina, Alaric just sits there with the biggest grin I have ever seen on his face and once in a while he looks at me when he thinks I can’t notice him doing so.

The good thing is that he doesn’t push. He doesn’t force me to engage in conversation because maybe he knows right now isn’t the right moment to push me.

I look at the window, gazing at the starless sky. Good thing is, I know by now my baby is still asleep.

Patty was kind enough to leave me a message five minutes ago that she left my apartment due to a personal emergency, but that Lina is asleep.

I’m more grateful that she decided to stay with Lina until midnight when she was supposed to babysit till I came back from the party a little later in the evening.

However, anxiety coils inside me like a spring because the thought of Lina being alone at home scares me.

I hope Lina didn’t miss me that much. I never intended to stay at the party for that long, let alone wind up in bed with Alaric, but here we are.

I'm almost home though. I'll be with my daughter soon.

Alaric’s car drives into our neighborhood, and a few minutes later, is parked outside my apartment building. I told him to pull over.

And then before I can unbuckle my seatbelt, he’s already out of the car, rounding it and opening my side of the door for me.

“What a gentleman, sir,” I say sarcastically as I step out of the car.

“I can be that and more if you let me, wild one.” His voice is hot chocolate oozing with sweetness and charm, but I don’t give in, even though I want to kiss him right now and have a repeat of what happened between us.

“Logic wins though, because I bid him goodbye and walk hurriedly to my apartment building.

I only manage to release the strangled breath I didn’t know I was holding when I reach the small hallway that leads to my apartment.

The perk of staying on the ground floor, is that our hallway houses two apartments. Mine and my neighbor’s. I’ve never run into my neighbor. I doubt he even stays home for long each day.

Getting my keys from my purse and stepping into my apartment, a smile breaks out on my lips as the scent of jasmine, lavender, and a faint smell of oatmeal wafts through my nostrils.

I immediately drop my stuff, walking to Lina’s room, and I pause at the sight of her, curled under her blankets, her cheeks rosy with sleep.

Goddess, she’s cute, and I missed her so much. She’s wearing her little mermaid PJs underneath, and I can’t help but chuckle, wondering if she and Patty had a little mermaid binge marathon going on today.

I lean down, brush her hair back, and kiss her forehead. “Mommy’s home, baby,” I whisper, not too sure she’ll hear me but still happy to see her nonetheless.

But the second my lips touch her, dread coils in my gut.

She’s too warm.

Not warm like a sleepy child, but hot. Scalding hot.

“Lina?” I whisper, placing my palm against her cheek. “Sweetheart, wake up.”

She doesn’t stir. Her lips don’t even move.

Panic claws at my throat, my voice shaking so bad as I beg, “Lina. Baby, open your eyes.”

Nothing.

“Come on, baby. Don’t play jokes with mommy, darling. Please wake up.”

When I shake her a bit, getting no response, my throat closes up, alarm and adrenaline dancing in my veins like bitter rivals.

I have no time to cry. No time to panic and no time to call for help, because I doubt my neighbor is even here.

My body jolts into motion. I scoop her up, cradling her limp form, and bolt for the door.

The tears I’ve been trying to hold back drop down my cheeks like they’ve been unleashed after being trapped for eternity.

All I know is, I'm running to the entrance, out to the darkness with no clue but a sliver of hope that the man who looked after me as I entered my apartment is still waiting for me outside.

I bank on that hope.

I need him.

My baby and I—

“Alaric!” I scream his name in a choke of sobs because he-he didn’t leave.

He’s still here, leaning against his car and looking at me, then at the girl in my arms with bewilderment.

“Lila?”

“Help! I need your…help. She’s not waking up. P-please help my daughter!”