Connect Us ✔

Chapter 60

My eyes blink when I wake up, eyelids heavy, telling me it's way early to be awake for me. But it's fucking hot, my throat is dry and I can sense a lot of warmth behind me. I feel something heavy on my waist. I blink and turn my head to the right. 

"Shit," I whisper. I sit up, which makes his armful off from me. That's when he starts blinking too, staring at me in tired confusion. "Don't touch me like that, man," I mutter and let my head fall back to the pillow. The sleep still burns heavy on my eyes.

Blair turns around and yawns, then stretches a little. "Morning," he says hoarsely and sits up. That's when I notice the huge, painfully obvious red hickey on his throat. Well. Oops.

"That's fucking cheesy, man. Don't do that again."

"Oscar, calm down," he says, his voice still rough from sleep. He reaches for his phone on the bedside table, just to take a quick glance. "I thought you were Felix."

I sigh when I think of Felix and turn my body around. I think about yesterday, staring at the ceiling. I don't even know how to go on now. What am I supposed to do? There's no way I can save Maddie unless I kidnap her and take her to the police. "When's Felix coming back?"

"I'm not gonna tell you," he says, putting on his underwear. No, I did not just stare at his sexy back—shoulder blades moving under his skin as he pulls on his pants too. Nope.

"God, you're really enjoying this, aren't you? Keeping me away from him."

"You should go home, Oscar."

"Why?" I ask, sitting up as well, even though my whole body's against it. I reach for my own pants and underwear, easy enough to spot on the clean floor. "Is he coming soon?"

He doesn't answer. He walks into the kitchen, and I hear the coffee machine hiss to life. "Can I have a glass of water, at least, before I go?" I ask when I finally stand, fully dressed, in the kitchen doorway.

"Suit yourself," he says, lifting the cup to his lips. Steam curls around his face as he takes a slow sip. "Coffee?"

"Nah, man. I can take a hint. I'm leaving." I down the whole glass of water in one go, then let out a satisfied sigh. I pick up the jacket on the kitchen floor and. Look for my helmet.

"Oscar, I didn't mean it like that. You don't have to storm off."

"Where the fuck's my helmet?"

"The sofa," he mumbles into his cup. He looks tired—maybe more than he wants me to notice. I grab my helmet and head for the door. "Bye, Oscar."

"Yeah, bye." The door clicks shut behind me, and a strange relief washes through my chest. Outside, the cold air bites at my skin as I light a cigarette; the first drag burns in my throat. Maybe it's just early mornings I hate. Every muscle aches, and that asshole couldn't even offer me a heating pad. Blair's never told me so directly to go home before. Not that I take it personally. Whatever. I'm just tired.

I keep the cigarette tucked between my lips while I pull on my jacket. It's freezing outside, the air looks white and cold like winter and a cold breeze makes me shudder. My hair's a little greasy and damp from yesterday, and I brush it out of my face with my fingers. The cigarette glows as I walk toward my motorcycle, smoke curling into the morning chill.

"Oscar?" I freeze mid-step. I glance left. My heart jumps from zero to a hundred, suddenly pumping warmth into my body. Fuck. "Hi!" I just stand there like an idiot as Felix walks toward me, a thick grocery bag in his arms. His cheeks are flushed pink, his nose red from the cold, his hair hidden under a brown beanie. He's wearing mittens. Mittens. Fuck, it's not even that cold.

His hands cling to the bag he's smiling over, and he smiles like a goddamn angel. "Sorry," he says, breath curling in the cold air. "Blair said you were already gone." The grin that follows could melt frost. "I couldn't just ignore you." The bag starts to slip, and he tries to hold it up with his knee.

"No, I..." The words stumble out as I shake my head, trying to blink away the jolt his smile sends through me—the warmth in his eyes, that bright, careless voice. I take a step closer before I even realize I'm moving. "Let me help you."

"It's okay," he says, but my hands are already on the bag, lifting it out of his grasp. His fingers brush mine for a second, warm despite the cold. "Thanks," he murmurs, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's sweet of you."

God, I have to hold myself back from grinning like a fool. I bite my lip to stop it. What the hell is wrong with me? My chest feels too tight, too warm. That boy's really doing something to me. "Sure."

"So?" He glances over at me as we walk up the stairs. "How's it going?" His tone is light, casual, but there's something underneath it—something that could mean a dozen things. I know which one he means though. He's asking if I've made any progress with my brother.

"Uhm... Well, actually not very good. Yesterday was terrible."

Felix stares at me, and I try to ignore it, but my cheeks are burning. "You look tired," he says, burying his hands in his coat pockets. Yeah, well, maybe because your boyfriend literally fucked me up half the night. "Are you sure it's not too heavy? I can help."

"Don't worry. It's fine."

"Okay," he says softly. When we reach the door, he unlocks it and takes the bag from my hands. Then he glances back at me, that teasing little smile curling his lips. "At least text me sometimes, would you?"

I bite back a grin, lips pressed tight.

"Oscar," he says, a laugh curling through his voice. "You're so damn cute when you blush. Did you miss me?"

I can't hold it back anymore, the grin breaks free. I shake my head. "God. Always flirting, aren't you?"

"Ah, come on, I'm just teasing you a little." He kicks the door open with his knee. It's only a second, but God, just looking at that knee makes me remember the last time he was at my place—how he slid it over my thigh. My heart jumps at the thought of kissing him. Touching him again. 

He turns back to me, and I flinch like I've been caught. "Wanna come in again?"

Damn, yes. Every part of me screams it. "Nah. Gotta go now."

He sets the bag down and rests his hand on the door. "Bye, Oscar."

God. I take in his face one last time, that stupidly happy grin, the curve of his lips I can still feel in memory. I'd give anything to grab his arm, pin him to that wall, feel that heat again. I swallow it all down. "Bye, Felix."