Page 88 of Wicked Little Darling

I smiled, and Reese’s scowl grew. “He’s good. Getting a little cranky since he’s not into lying around in bed, but I’m taking real good care of him.”

“Okay, good. Does he know you’re the last person on Earth who should be taking care of anyone?”

“No, and don’t tell him that, either.”

“Don’t tell me what?” Reese asked.

I moved the phone away from my mouth and said, “That you should be nicer to me.”

“That’s definitely not what he said.”

“It is. I can put him on speaker for you.” Into the phone, I said, “Hey, Val, tell Reese what you just told me. That he should be nicer to the person who’s been going out of their way to tend to his every need and not bite the hand that literally feeds him—but let him know that biting other parts is acceptable.”

Reese grabbed one of his pillows and threw it at me as I put Val on speaker.

“Look, I don’t want to know what weird things are happening over there.” Val’s voice resounded through the room, and I ducked when the pillow came sailing toward my head. “I just wanted to see if you were coming to the party.”

My mood immediately plummeted, and I took him off speaker and turned away from Reese. “No, I’m not going.”

I was sick of Albert’s annual holiday party. I didn’t have to go. I didn’t have to do anything anymore. I hadn’t since I’d turned eighteen; the only reason I kept up with them was because of Val.

He insisted on keeping with tradition, keeping the family together, and I loved him so I wanted to support him. No amount of trying to convince him to break away with me had ever worked. I didn’t know where he’d gotten all these family values, but it certainly wasn’t from our parents.

Val sighed. “Wish you would, but…I get it. I’ll miss you, then.”

I closed my eyes and tried not to let the guilt out from where it was locked up. “I’ll miss you too,” I said hoarsely, my throat too thick. I lay back and stretched out on my bed, pulling one knee up and throwing an arm behind my head.

“Do you need me to grab you anything before I go home?” Val asked.

I cleared my throat. “No, I’m good.” I glanced over at Reese, who was watching me with keen eyes. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

“Okay, well the manor isn’t that far, so I’ll come visit.”

It was the first year I was staying behind, and Val was concerned about me. But I wasn’t going to be alone.

“I’ll be alright, Val,” I said softly, needing him to believe it. It was true; I’d be absolutely fine.

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise. Call me if you need anything, okay? Just because I’m not going back for break doesn’t mean I’ll never go there again, so if you need me to come, I’ll come. And if you even coughonce?—”

“Ugh, I get it. Go…do whatever it was you were doing before I called.”

I laughed and he hung up. My smile faded quickly when I thought about him being at that party all alone. Surrounded by selfish, arrogant people who didn’t truly care about him.

“What’s the matter?”

I blinked, then turned my head and looked at Reese. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching me, and I wondered how long he’d been watching me.

I loved it when he looked at me, when he turned his attention fully on me.

“What do you mean?”

He shrugged, and I caught him glancing down my body. His eyes flashed back to mine, and he knew I’d caught him. His cheeks flushed and he scowled at me. “Nothing. Never mind.”

He looked tired and restless at the same time, and I knew he wasn’t sleeping well lately. He’d been having nightmares again, but only sleepwalked once this week. It was probably because he was sick, and as he got better, so did the nightmares, it seemed.

But whether it was due to the nightmares or his restless feet, I went to his bed and held him or dragged him into mine. He always slept so soundly when I was holding him.