This isn’t just unhinged. It’s completely off the rails, even for me. My heart races at the thought of getting caught here like this. What kind of explanation could I possibly give?
Hey, just breaking and entering because a text message made me lose my mind.
No way. This is crazy. I need to get out and come back tomorrow when my head’s on straight.
As I turn back toward the window, my foot catches on something and I freeze, praying the noise didn’t wake her. I take a step toward my escape route when a groan echoes through the room.
I turn to see her eyes flutter open and lock onto mine. They’re wide with confusion or fear, maybe both. Her lips part slightly as if to say something, but no words come out.
“Iris, I—” The words catch in my throat. How do you explain something like this? “I got your message,” is all that manages to escape.
There’s a beat of silence so thick you could cut it with a knife before she sits up slowly, cradling her head with one hand. She squints at me like she’s trying to make sense of a dream she can’t quite shake off.
“Angel?” Her voice is groggy from sleep or painkillers—probably both—and laced with disbelief.
“Yeah,” I exhale heavily, my hands raising in surrender.
A ghost of a smile flickers across her lips, a mixture of relief and that old warmth we used to share, and for a second, everything feels disarmingly normal again. She stands up and takes a step closer to me.
“You always did have terrible timing,” she says sleepily.
I nod because what else can you do when you’ve been caught red-handed? “I’ll go,” I say quickly. “We can talk tomorrow.”
But as much as every rational fiber in my being screams for me to climb back out that window and forget this ever happened, my feet remain rooted to her floor while Iris watches me with those same beautiful eyes that have haunted me for years.
“Don’t leave me,” she says as her eyes nearly flutter shut, and she stumbles on her feet. I catch her before she can fall. “I can’t take it again.”
“Easy, baby,” I say.
“I took a pain pill.”
“I can see that...”
Guiding her back to bed, she latches onto me and pulls me down with her.
I settle beside Iris, convincing myself I’ll stay only until her breathing evens out and I’m sure she’s asleep. But as she nestles into my chest, every curve of her body aligns with mine like it’s meant to be. The soft rhythm of her breath against my skin is a melody I thought I’d forgotten. The scent of her hair, of her soft skin, fills my senses, anchoring me to this moment.
It’s intoxicating—the warmth of her, the gentle rise and fall of her chest against mine. My eyelids grow heavy, the day’s exhaustion finally catching up with me. And before I know it, I’m drifting off, succumbing to the peace holding Iris in my arms brings.
Chapter 9Iris
My eyelids flutter open to the morning light seeping through gauzy curtains, a familiar scent teasing my senses. I’m not alone. A surge of panic rises in my chest as I twist to see who’s invaded my private sanctuary. The scream lodges in my throat, ready to erupt, but then I see him, and I go completely silent.
Angel.
What’s he doing here? Did we? Oh my God.
You fool. You couldn’t even manage to pull this off stone-cold sober so you’d at least remember it. Dumbass.
My movement jolts him awake, his green eyes snapping open to meet mine.
I swallow hard, my voice a shaky whisper. “What are you doing here? What happened last night?”
He rubs his face with his hands, trying to gather himself. “Nothing happened. We just slept.” He glances around the room like he’s seeing it for the first time since high school. “You were pretty out of it.”
I sit up, wrapping the sheets around me like I’m naked even though I’m not. “Out of it?”
“Yeah,” he continues, pushing himself up into a sitting position. “You sent me a message last night asking why I threw you away, so I came here to clear the air... When I got here, you could barely keep your eyes open.”
My mind races. I sent him what? I sift through the foggy memories but come up empty. “I don’t remember any of that.”
He nods, an understanding softness touching his features. “Pain pills will do that to you.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks, and I want to disappear under the covers.
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to heavy medication like that, and I...”
“It’s fine,” Angel reassures me.
His words hang between us for a moment before it clicks. “Wait… You came here to clear the air. What does that mean?”
Angel looks down at his hands, as if they hold answers he’s reluctant to share. His jaw clenches before he finally meets my gaze again.
“It means we’ve got things to sort out.” His voice is steady but there’s an intensity behind it that tells me this isn’t just about last night’s message.
Angel’s eyes lock onto mine, a storm brewing in their depths. “You asked me why I threw you away, but to me, it was the other way around.”
I blink, confusion knitting my brows. “I tried to keep in touch. I called. I messaged. I came to see you... And every time I did, I was met with nothing. How do you get that I’m the one who pulled away from any of that?”
