So, as I stand in the trauma bay, away from the security cameras’ reach, I tap on my phone and find him awake and ready to continue our trials.
The trials I haven’t performed for the pastthree days.
Ever since I spent the first night at Lilith’s, since she hinted at whatever horrible shit she’d gone through as a kid, I couldn’t bring myself to stay away from her.
For three days, my emotions have been swinging between rage, overprotectiveness, and possessiveness so deep I can hardly take it.
Then, each night, when I go over to her apartment, I breathe again. Having her jump into my embrace and loop her legs around my waist makes the world far less dark and depressing.
That’s why I haven’t done much other than feed, clean, and keep Harold alive.
Because I’m addicted to Lilith. Every part of me is driven to protect her from the pain she’s carried alone for far too long. My guess is she’s never even told Hope how deep it goes, sparing her the ugliest parts.
Despite not knowing the full story, Hope can tell that something in Lilith has shifted. Up until this morning, she’d been quieter in a way that makes it obvious she needed this time alone with me. There’s no other explanation for why Hope gives us space by locking herself in her room by the time I get there.
However, interrupting their routine and crowding their home doesn’t sit well with me, since I don’t mean to steal Lilith from her. Lilith assures me it’s okay, and when I bring it up again, she hugs me tighter and presses her lips to mine.
I let her. Hell, I revel in it.
That’s not the only reason I kiss her, though. I do it to reassure her that I’m here to stay. That I see how shaken herconfession has left her, that it’s okay to joke less and lean on me more.
So I kiss her until my lips go numb. I pull her close, and when she starts moaning into my mouth, I lay her on the bed and make love to her. Slowly, gently, carefully. I murmur praise and promises, soothing her instead of making it just about sex.
We’ll have time for hard fucking when she’s ready. I’m not in a rush.
My chest tightens when I think about this morning. How she woke up a little different. Smiled more over breakfast. Laughed at one of Hope’s jokes when she stopped by her room to tell her that we were going to work. Yes, Hope leaves for work ten minutes after us, which I don’t like either. That’s something to deal with later.
For now, I’m just relieved that Lilith lets it all out and finds solace with me. That she smiles again.
The shift in her mood doesn’t just make me happy, though. It means I can give her and Hope some alone time while I stop by my storage unit tonight, just for an hour or so.
Is Harold that important that you’d rather be with him?
My mission is, yes, but not nearly as much as before.
That conclusion doesn’t come as a shock.
There’s hardly room for anyone else in my life when Lilith consumes my every waking and sleeping moment. When the murderous side of me is intent on finding out who she is, so I can track down her mother and kill her, if I haven’t already.
But Mrs. Tobin, I owe it to her.
Fine, I’ll stick to the plan and go to the storage unit after work.
I’m about to leave for the cafeteria when the trauma bay doors slam open.
Monitors chirp too fast. A gurney rattles.
I turn before the paramedic’s voice fully registers as he says, “Lockwood.”
I’m on it.
“What do we have?” My spine goes rigid. Every muscle in my body snaps to attention.
“Steven Robinson. Twelve-year-old male. Dad found him. Significant blood loss. One eye swollen completely shut.” Austin walks toward me, talking over his shoulder. His brown hair falls over his forehead, almost brushing his gray eyes. “Pressure’s dropping. He’s tachy and not responding.”
My eyes dart over the kid, but I don’t let my chest cave. Don’t let my anger blind me.
I never do.