Page 9 of The Fractured

“Better?” I murmured.

Lily nodded, finally content as she closed her eyes.

For a moment, it was easy to forget how bad everything was.

Chapter 3

Dean

Nine days into October had brought a cool change to most mornings, making getting out of bed harder.

Especially after last night.

I wanted to stay wrapped in the sheets with Lily a little longer, relying on each other’s body warmth since the radiator in her room was broken. But she had work, and I wanted to keep up the illusion that everything was still okay.

This was why I started training at a new gym, and running myself ragged on the combined ten miles there and back to Lily’s. Running kept my mind busy and, in a way, was my version of self-punishment for getting into this mess.

My chest heaved as I leaned against the back wall of the elevator, wiping sweat from my face using the bottom of my shirt. The numbers above the door slowly ticked to level three, the top floor of this apartment building. I made this elevator trip so many times that it was a habit. It felt normal. Like I had lived here longer. It was only five months ago, during the dark early hours of a Sunday night, Lily had found me in the one-way street outside.

Normally, my cynical self would eye-roll at anyone falling head over heels for someone that fast, especially within five months…but here I was, head over heels and still falling for a woman way out of my league. For me, she was home.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing the hallway leading to Lily’s apartment at the other end of the top floor.

Standing right outside Lily’s apartment was a woman who was slowly becoming my arch-nemesis — Susan. The nosiest person I had ever met.

She had her back to me and her ear pressed firmly to the door.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding.

All Susan knew was that Lily needed bed rest. But that obviously wasn’t a good enough excuse to keep her nose out of Lily’s business.

I approached on steady, quiet steps and managed to get right behind her before I slid my hands into the pockets of my shorts and cleared my throat.

She slapped a hand to her chest as she whirled with a gasp, then slowly drew her eyes up to my face. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to come up with an excuse.

I cocked a brow.

“You shouldn’t sneak up on a person like that. Especially considering my age.”

I tilted my head slightly. “Did you forget which door was yours?”

“No, I was going to check on Lily.”

I gestured to the door with my thumb. “Through the door?”

“I was going to knock.”

“Uh-huh.”

Her eyes narrowed spitefully. “You know you can’t live here unless you’re paying rent, and you seem to be hanging around quite a lot.”

“Who says I’m not payin’ rent?” I wasn’t, but Kira’s moms didn’t mind me staying for a while.

“People talk.”

“Yeah?” I crossed my arms and jerked my chin in a nod. “Who?”

She receded a step, throat bobbing as she fiddled with the thin silver chain around her neck. Her eyes dropped to her watch. “Oh, look at the time! I should be going. I have something in the oven. Not that it isanyof your business.”