step back from him to reel it in. He reaches for my taped hand. I should pull back, but my stupid brain won’t listen, craving his comfort more than my sanity.
“My brother’s mother-in-law passed away that morning you took off. I got the call as I was making plans to come after you,” he says somberly.
“Oh,” I reply, something about his brother’s sudden loss triggers an ache within me.
It’s almost like I know that feeling all too well. I knit brows. “I lost my mother at a young age. I think I went to live with my father after that.”
The words fall out of my mouth without thought. I don’t know why I share them with him, but it feels like I can. I look up into his eyes to find him watching me closely.
“Have you remembered where you’re from?”
“New York,” I blurt out and frown. “At least that’s where I lived when I was with my mom. I don’t know after that. I remember getting on a plane with… my dad? Yeah, the man in the dreams. He’s my dad.”
“That’s good, angel,” he says stroking my cheek.
I wrinkle my brows at the endearment, not really sure how I feel about it. “Did you handle whatever you needed to?”
He gives me a puzzled look at first, then realization lights his eyes. He rubs his forehead and shakes his head. “I’ve minimized the issue. It’s more complicated than I care to explain at the moment. I’d rather you talk to me about you.”
“What about me?”
“Whatever you want.” He closes the space between us. “Tell me what’s been on your mind. I miss talking to you. I’ve missed you.”
I stare at him for what feels like hours. My mind arguing my needs over my wants and desires. In the end, I start to spill drop by drop.
“The dreams are more frequent. They mix in with the torture and beatings.” As the words pass through my lips, the weight starts to rise a bit.
Well into the morning, I talk and he listens. Each word untwisting the feelings I have inside. It’s not quite the peace I need, but it’s a start.
Chapter 24
Be Honest
John
Without thinking, I cut off my car as I park in the garage of Black and Lock and dial the one person that can make me smile instantly after the crap day I’ve had. I rest my head back and close my eyes as the phone rings through the car.
“What do you want, John?” Roni sighs into the phone as she answers.
My lips turn up into the smile I was looking for. She’s such a brat and that voice. It brings a smile all of its own.
“Stop trying to act like you don’t want to hear my voice,” I reply as I grin. It’s clear in the sound of her words that she’s not as put out by my call as she’s trying to put on.
“I don’t. You’re only going to tell me to behave. Fuck that noise.”
I bark out a laugh. In the last year, the one thing that I’ve learned and love about Roni is that she has an amazing sense of humor. “Are you behaving?”
“Am I a toddler?”
“You’re a brat.”
“Whatever. Don’t you have some work to do? That’s the reason you said you had to leave, right? But here you are always on my phone.”
“Ouch, that hurts. I thought you’d be happy to hear from me. I know you miss me.”
“I miss you breaking me out of here. That’s about all.”
“Jasper said some of the others go out to a local bar. Why don’t you go with them?”
Silence greets me as I get out of the car and stroll across the parking lot to head upstairs. For a moment, I think I’ve lost her. Then I remember who I’m talking to. I chuckle.
“Okay, fine,” I say.
The sound of her moving around on the other end of the call comes through before she speaks, reminding me of the time difference. “The days seem longer when you’re not here,” she says.
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I mutter.
It’s been a long ass day for me. Starting with a call from Missy. She said she needed someone to talk to. Of course, me being me, I was there for her and listened for an hour.
It wasn’t like my calls with Roni. I can’t fall asleep at night without hearing her voice. We talk at all times of the night despite the time difference. If I don’t call, she curses me out.