Eyes of the Midari

Part 7

          Lucca

Lucca thrashed as he took in the raging waves. He peered over the cliff's edge and squinted at the dark hungry waves. The water slammed into the cliffside, casting a salty mist. Lucca licked his lips as he waited; the salt burned his tongue. He waited. He waited for something to break the surface. Maybe she survived. She had to have survived, but that deep ugly wrangled part of him hoped the sea ate her alive. It was only then Lucca realized the taste on his lips wasn't salt, but blood.

Lucca shot up from Jess's couch in ragged breaths, sweat coating his brow. He dragged a hand down his face, dear God, he hadn't dreamt of her in a while. Being back here must be jogging old memories.

"Awe did someone have a bad dream?"

Lucca gave a side eye, he had to resist smiling at seeing Jess sitting crisscrossed on her countertop with a steaming mug in both hands. She was wearing a men's shirt that hung almost to her thighs and very, very small shorts underneath.

He rested against the back of the couch, "You can't tell me you've never had a bad dream."

She blew on her mug, "Oh I have had plenty."

Lucca let his smile spread as he got up and took a long stretch. He cracked one eye open to see Jess staring at him over the rim of her mug.

He chuckled, "Like what you see, Shadow?"

She placed her mug down as she slid off the counter and sauntered toward him. He stared down at her with a grin. Just when he thought he won their little standoff. She tore her shirt off over her head and held it out to him. Lucca swallowed deep as he took in the very small camisole, she was wearing underneath.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

She smiled with her hands on her hips, "Are you hungry at all?"

She turned back toward the kitchen as Lucca took a deep breath; he tugged the shirt over his head, "Starving."

She sighed, "Starving for food?"

"Yeah yeah food of course."

Jess rolled her eyes. She started to gather ingredients on the counter. Lucca was fascinated by these mundane actions. Singapore's shadow making eggs and toast. It was baffling, but he also couldn't tear his eyes away.

"So where exactly did you go last night?"

"What I do in the night is my business."

Lucca propped his head on his hand as he glanced at the sky outside. The horizon was just starting to shine with a hazy orange glow.

He tuned back to Jess, "What time is it?"

"Almost five thirty."

"You went out at two," She gave him a look that inquired what his point was. He sighed, "You only slept like two hours."

"You only slept three at most. That's if your nightmares didn't have you tossing and turning." She pushed down the toasted handle, "What exactly keeps you up at night? I'm honestly curious."

He tsked, "Oh no you don't. If you want to know something about me, you have to tell me something about you."

She sighed, "I'm not budging about my past."

"Fine. As much as I would love to know what the heck created something like you, I'll take anything at this point."

She fiddled with the scrambled eggs, "You first."

"My dream was about the ocean. I hate the ocean."

The toast popped up just as Jess's mouth dropped, "How can you hate the ocean? Its stunning! There are hundreds of thousands of creatures and life..."