Page 100 of Darkened Promises

Right?

It’s not that insane to hibernate. Bears do it. This would just be an extended…forever hibernation.

Bry nuzzles my head softly. “Nate’s talking to the police, so they’ll be aware and know what they need to do. There’s nothing we can actually do,” he assures, rubbing his hands up and down my spine.

My body sags in his arms, depleted and exhausted even though I’ve done nothing strenuous today. I exhale slowly. Everything suddenly aches, and my mind feels overstuffed.

I’ve spent weeks waiting, hoping this would all end. The letter shows how far from over this is. Until he’s caught, it will never be over.

I’m not sure I can keep waiting and waiting.

Perhaps there’s something I can try to do to help, at least in some way.

“You call Maxi and Noah, and I’ll finish up the orders.” Bry cuts into my thoughts, giving me a squeeze, then presses a kiss to my temple. He steps back, looking intently into my eyes, and I force a smile, mind still whirring, even as Moshi starts winding around my ankles.

FIFTY

ROSY

Kisses trail along the exposed skin of my shoulder. Max takes full advantage of my oversized T-shirt as he lies on the bed behind me.

“Finally awake.” I smile, and my toes curl as his hand strokes up my thigh and around to my stomach. Small, lazy circles drawn by his fingertips distract me.

Nose nuzzling my ear, he replies, “You’re just too good to snuggle. Does it help if I say I dreamt of you?”

“That depends. Were you more focused on me or the snacks in it?” I quip.

Giving up on the chapter I’d been reading on my e-reader, I turn it off and shuffle around to face him. A sweetness surges through my veins at his handsome, sleepy grin. I can’t help but trace it with a fingertip. With daylight filtering through the bedroom window behind him, his light brown curls mussed, and eyes heavily lidded, he’s achingly mesmerising.

The arrival of the letter yesterday had sent the remainder of the day into a spiralling mess, and I’m not sure I was the one who struggled the most. The guys have all been hovering, and worried, not that I’ll complain. Having them closer calms the anxiety clawing at my insides.

Noah, unfortunately, still had to go to school today. With exams and classes, he can’t take the time off. Which I begrudgingly understand, even if it makes my muscles twitch to snatch him back inside. Here, we’re safe, except out there, I don’t know what will happen, and it’s nauseatingly difficult to accept that I have no control.

Max decided to stay home with me today without any persuasion on my part. To be honest, I think the day of rest will do him some good. Hopefully it helps to wipe away the tiredness that’s been clinging to him lately. The couple hours’ nap he took beside me as I read already has him appearing brighter and less groggy.

He wiggles in closer, only a breath apart, and my eyes almost cross to stay focussed on him.

“Can’t it be both?” he suggests and brushes his nose against mine. My chest hitches at the sweet, light touch. “There was a birthday cake, and it tasted so good especially because I was licking it off you. I really think buttercream would taste unreal on you.”

He kisses lazily up my jaw, then stops at my ear, nibbling on the shell before he pulls away.

“Why birthday cake?” I frown, and my nose crinkles.

“Oh.” He shrugs. “I must’ve been thinking about Noah’s next week. Wait, when’s yours?”

“28th of June,” I answer automatically, but my mind’s distracted. “Noah’s is next week?”

“Yours is before mine,” he whines with a pout. “Yes, next week, same as it’s always been. It usually means Bry bakes a cake, any cake we want.”

Externally, I’m nodding, but internally, my thoughts are erratic and racing off in opposing directions.

It’s Noah’s birthday.

Shitsticks. That’s hardly any time to plan at all. What would he even want? Are we in the gift-giving level of our relationship? Is there a spending limit? What if he doesn’t like what I get him? What if it’s not enough?

“Honeybee?” Fingers squish my cheeks together, then my focus surfaces from my messy mind and onto the concerned Max before me. “What’s happening in there?”

“I didn’t know,” I mutter, the words distorted until he lets go.