Page 51

Having finally gotten Pillar in bed, I left the room to shower away this exhausting day. We must have explored the entirety of the property by now.

It’s been six days since I’ve reunited with Blithe and introduced him to Pillar. He took to him as quickly as I did.

I can’t lie and say I wasn’t drawn to him due to him having the same condition as Cami. But my love for him is completely different. They are complete opposites. Where Cami was a spitfire and resilient, Pillar is more timid and shy. Very quiet, even around me sometimes.

He tells about his birth parents next to never and he’s content with living for the future and not dredging up the past. A quality I wish I possessed.

Nonetheless he wants to stick with me and now I have to figure out how to make that happen, officially. I spoke to Blithe about it, and he said we can ‘discuss it’, which I’d hoped wasn’t code for ‘you’re not ready’.

Shutting off the water, I step out of the shower, dry off and dress quickly.

“Shit.”

I whisper, realizing I only brought gym shorts in with me. Normally it wouldn’t be a big deal, but the room I’m staying in doesn’t has an ensuite, so I’ll have to walk the hall of this massive house to get back and hope I don’t run into anyone.

My fingers run through the wet strands of my hair to straighten it out the best I can, having not grabbed my brush either.

I roll my eyes at myself and step out of the bathroom, running straight into someone’s chest. No. Not someone. Creek. I can smell him before I pull back and confirm my suspicions when we lock eyes.

My friend so to speak, raises a brow at me.

He’s a shit friend. Claiming to be sorry and shoving a gift down my throat, only to ghost me ever since. Not once has he interacted with me. It’s as if he stopped by my room, rocked my foundation, left a heart wrenching gift, all for shits an giggles.

For that reason alone, I place my hands on his firm abdomen and shove him back.

He grunts, narrowing his eyes as he does. “What was that for?”

“For getting in my way.”

I say, moving around him.

Like hell will I tell him the real reason. Because it shouldn’t bother me. Nothing about Creek Hue should be of concern, but I know that for the lie it is. Doesn’t mean he has to.

“Not so fast.”

He catches my waist, pulling me back in front of him, but doesn’t let go. The proximity is too much. It always is.

“What have I done now?”

My brows raise at that, stating the obvious without stating the obvious.

“Come on Har. I told you I didn’t mean it, I’ll apologize forever. Do you want me on my knees for you?”

His face moves in closer to mine and I cease breathing. “Cause I’ll get on my knees for you baby, say the word.”

Pretty sure I told him not to call me that. It kills my insides, pretty sure an organ just died somewhere.

“I thought we were doing okay. We’ve been coexisting fine for days.”

He exclaims. “What changed?”

I scoff, attempting to move around him once more, but I don’t get far, and the truth slips from my mouth without my permission. “Exactly. Coexisting. You said we’d be friends, yet you haven’t even tried to speak to me, or prove yourself.”

A sloppy grin settles on his lips, and he licks them. I can’t help but track every second of the action. His tongue was once mine and it haunts my dreams.

“Ah,”

he clicks his tongue. “I should have known.”

My eyes narrow. “Known what?”

Creek moves in impossibly closer, so that I have to back up to get away, which only plasters me against the wall, effectively caging me in.

If he were anyone else I’d rip off his arms with my teeth.

“That my friend requires a little bit of attention or he goes stir crazy.”

I take a deep breath to clear my thoughts. Because that’s exactly like something my Creek used to say to me. That I was needy for him, and I was.

Not anymore.

Liar.

Using both hands, he pushes the hair from my face and tucks it behind my ears before swiping his thumb across my lip. Something stirs in my stomach when his lips press a sweet kiss to my forehead, his hands sliding down to my neck, chest and waist as he does so.

I stand deeply still as kisses are placed sparsely across my face. My cheeks, my nose, my chin. My lips seal, but a choked noise sounds anyway, when he moves to my neck and places closed mouth kisses there too.

“I should have known you were alive. My baby, the survivor.”

Creeks says, lips trailing the newest scar in the center of my chest.

Nibbling on my bottom lip, I look away. If I wasn’t mangled before, I am now. A chaotic ruin.

“Don’t do that.”

Creek grasps my chin and forces my gaze back on him. His licks the scar like candy before placing opened mouth kisses to it. I can hardly control the whimper that escapes me. “You’re fucking beautiful, and I am so fucking sorry.”

I can see the sincerity in his eyes as if they were my own as they plead with me. It hurts, knowing that this is hurting him. A sentiment I believe we both share, despite the circumstances.

A circumstance I’m not done punishing him for. With that in mind I turn my head away once more.

He sighs, resting his forehead against my chest. It feels as if we both drown in our sorrows together for a moment. Remembering what could have been and realizing what never can be.

Suddenly, my head is wrenched back. His fingers grip my hair tightly, but not enough to hurt.

When his lips brush my ear, I let out a shaky breath. “I was giving you the space I thought you wanted.”

He whispers, free hand lightly gliding his fingers up and down my back. “Say the word, and I’ll steal you away, then never let you go.”

He places one last kiss bellow my ear, causing me to shiver, and then he’s gone.

I stand alone in the hallway panting, eyes closed as I roll my head against the wall and feel his every touch all over again.

“Fuck.”