Bait(81)

Her fingers are so soft against my cheek. “You’re amazing,” she says. “Truly. Cameron’s lucky to have you.”

“You’ll be okay,” I tell her. “You’ll be strong at the broken places just like I am.”

“I hope so,” she whispers.

And she will be. I know she will be.

I’ve seen the sparkle in her eyes, the fire in her belly. I’ve seen her work a crowd like she owns it. Owns me.

I squeeze her fingers tight in mine. “When I met you I was still running. Soulless. Her ghost was everywhere, and now it’s not. I didn’t even use my own name, couldn’t face the man I’d been before.”

She stares right at me. “Phoenix,” she says.

I smile. “Something like that.”

“It was your username online. Phoenix burning.”

I nod. “And I was still burning, until I met you.”

She takes a breath. “We’ll take it slow?”

“As slow as you like, as long as we’re moving.”

“And what about the kids? What if I can never…”

“We’ll worry about that when it comes up.”

I hold my breath.

I’m so fucking relieved when she smiles.

Her voice evens out when she speaks again. “I ran here and found nothing. You brought me back to life, and I found everything. I love my life here. I love it all.”

And I love you.

I don’t say it. Not now.

I’m well aware that dawn is shining through the curtains. Well aware that Cam will be waking up for his breakfast in an hour or so back at home.

“I need to go,” I tell her.

She nods. “You have a little boy to get back for.”

I kiss her forehead. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I can’t come with you,” she says. “Not yet, anyway. He doesn’t even know who I am.”

And she’s right.

I know she’s right.

“I’m not gonna say anything stupid, Abigail. Now isn’t the time for grandiose declarations or mushy words, but I will tell you that monsters stay on your tail, always.”

She laughs. “Is that a threat?”

I smirk. “It’s a promise.” I get to my feet and pull her with me. “Maybe I’ll knock at the front door next time.”

“Maybe you should bring chocolate.” She wipes her eyes. “I’m clearly a hormonal wreck who needs it.”

“Or a beautiful woman who lost something very dear to her.”

Her eyes well up again. “Thanks. I’m grateful you can call me beautiful when I’ve been a snot monster for the past half hour. It must be the real deal.”

She’s joking, but I’m not.

I get dressed, even though it pains me. I’d give anything to fall asleep with her in my arms.

Maybe one day soon.

I take a look back up at her window as I leave. I watch the lights go out.

It’s dawn as I cross the road to my truck. I barely even think to check my jacket pocket for my phone, but when I do it’s there and flashing.

Five missed calls.

Serena.

Shit.

I call her back but there’s no answer. I call the landline and she doesn’t pick up.

On the third attempt, I leave a message on her mobile and tell her I’m on my way.

My foot is to the floor the entire way.





Abigail



He has a son. A beautiful little boy.

My belly flutters at the thought, but there’s no pain.

Not anymore.

I guess sometimes it’s the confession itself that provides the most solace. It’s by letting our demons free that we’re able to see they’re not really demons at all, just scared children hoping to be loved.

I know I can love Leo’s broken pieces. It’s a welcome surprise to find that I believe he can love mine, too.

I roll onto my side to watch the sunrise through the window.

Fuck, this is all moving so fast. Crazy fucking fast.

But it doesn’t feel crazy at all.

I wonder if he’ll like me, Cameron. I wonder if in time he’ll ever come to love me, if we even get that far. I hope so.

For the first time in forever, I wonder if there is really any hope in surgery. If maybe my scars can heal, just like Leo’s have. Just enough to function.

For the first time in forever, I think maybe there’s a chance.

I log into social media before I attempt sleep. It makes me smile to find the barbeque pictures have been uploaded.

I flick through the photos of my new friends, grinning at their laughter and their stupid drunk expressions once the party got wilder. I’m almost sad I missed it.

Almost.

I hitch my breath as I catch a picture from earlier in the afternoon. There we are, me and Leo, completely unaware of the camera, and smiling regardless. His hand is on my back, my cheek pressed to his collarbone, staring at each other, totally oblivious of the people standing by.