Everyone was charmed by Leo's bright smile but behind it all, he could barely keep it together inside. From taking care of his sick mother to suffering mental and physical abuse from his father to keeping up his perfect grades in school.
King was th...
I woke up the next morning feeling the aftermath of my drinking. My head was still fuzzy with a slight pounding, but with King pressed against my back, I had a new feeling starting to stir.
Shifting closer to him, his arms tightened around my waist with a sleep-filled sigh. I could feel his morning wood pressing between my cheeks, making my whole body tense.
I remembered everything he told me last night, but it didn't help this twisting in my gut. I did want more. I wanted to share all of my body with him, but I didn't know how. I didn't know how to stop this sickening feeling that stopped me every time we got close. I loved King, and I trusted that he wouldn't hurt me the way Charlie did, but my body remembers how bad it hurt. The pain I was in for days afterward. I was scared, but I wanted to overcome it for King.
"Morning." King's raspy voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "How are you feeling?"
"Not as bad as I thought I would be, but my head hurts a little." I turned around and buried my head in his neck, feeling myself relax at the sight and smell of him.
He sighed happily, melting against me. "I'll go and get you something in a minute, then we can go back to sleep if you want to. My only plans today are laying around in bed with you."
"That sounds perfect. Thank you."
We stayed like that for a few more minutes before he untangled from me and walked out of the room. I took the time to go to the bathroom and freshen up, brushing away the lingering taste of beer and shots from last night and washing my face.
As I walked out of the bathroom, Kiki was standing next to the door, a pile of empty boxes at her feet. "Figured I would leave these. I'll start packing and moving my things back up tomorrow."
I blinked at her, tilting my head to the side. "Why would you do that?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Did King not tell you? I'm giving you guys the room downstairs. More room since there are two of you and only one of me."
She walked off before I had a chance to reply. I was left standing there with my mouth dropped open. Kiki and King had fought over that space for so long. I couldn't believe she was giving it up. King walked over, looking at the boxes before laughing, saying the same thing Kiki told me.
I was grateful for the change of heart. Our room up here was the smallest, and it looked like a bomb dropped in it, no matter how clean I tried to keep it, but King gave up the room to Kiki after she nearly died saving me. I couldn't stop feeling guilty.
After taking something for my headache, King turned on the TV, and we cuddled back on the bed. I wasn't paying much attention to the random movie he put on for background noise. The only thing I was listening to was his steady heartbeat, feeling sleep take over again until my eyes snapped open. I put it off for long enough.
Sitting up, King looked at me with concern, asking if I was okay. "James said something to me yesterday," I said, ignoring his question.
King's eyes grew before looking away. "What did he say?"
"I think you know what he said. About Jess. Why did you lie to me? I thought we agreed not to do that anymore. Is she okay?"
"You were having a hard enough time with everything else. I didn't want to stress you out anymore. As far as I know, Jess is okay but hasn't talked to me much since the day she came over. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He gave a frustrated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "She said it was family-related and had to move in with her aunt far away to help her, but that's all I know."
"Goodness, I hope everything is okay. But she only had a week left. Was it so serious she couldn't finish school first?" I know I ran off a few months before finishing myself, but Jess wasn't the type to do that.
"She didn't tell me much about what was happening. I wish I could tell you more, but that's all I know."
Something didn't feel right about it, but what could I do if she lived so far away? Her mother and father were nice to everyone and always kind to Jess and her two younger brothers. I couldn't see them kicking her out so close to finishing school.
"It just sounds weird," I told him, laying back down while I tried to think of a better explanation for such a sudden change in her life. She didn't even tell me she was leaving, and that hurt.
"I know. I feel the same way. I've tried calling her since she told me she made it there safely, but nothing yet." I could feel King tense beside me.
Winter jumped on the bed, startling me out of my thoughts. Her purring was loud enough to be clear from where we lay, making King chuckle. "She's a better cat than I thought she was before. Even if she gave me hell chasing her around the park for three days." He glared down the bed at her curling up between my feet, but I knew he wasn't mad. "Yeah. Pretend you don't know I'm talking about you, furball."
"She's a cat, King. I don't think she cares what you have to say," I laughed. "Besides, wouldn't you run for your life if someone like you and Kiki were chasing you around?"
His chest shook as he laughed. "Yeah. I guess you have a point, but I won't let her live it down."
We fell into a comfortable silence for a while, and I thought he had fallen back to sleep, but his hand smoothed over my cheek. "I'm so grateful you're both here. Safe from the world outside and warm. You have no idea how good it makes me feel every time I come home."
My leg tightened around his as I leaned into his hand. "I think I do because I feel the same way every time I wake up in your arms."
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