Collapse: Book Two (bxb) ✔️

20. You missed me?

⚠️ Smut warning-Bottom portion of the chapter. Reader discretion advised. ⚠️

Raven Fox

I stared at my phone like the damned thing would give me the answers Salem was supposed to give me. That little shit was lying to me. His only escape route was that he promised he was fine. Physically. He was fine. But something was off.

It was sending alarm signals in my brain. Maybe that was my trauma. But something was wrong with him. It clearly wasn't too serious otherwise he'd definitely tell me, but the entire phone call didn't sit right with me.

Maybe because my little demon didn't call unless there was something was going to say. Or wanted to say.

Vesper snatched my phone from my hand, and I was about to deliver him a very violent death. I stole it back with a hard glare. "Mind your damn business, would you?"

Vesper snorted a laugh as he took a sip of his drink. "You're such a princess. You blanked out. I was merely trying to get your attention back on me. Also, your texts to your boyfriend seem so dry—what's up with that?"

I glared even harder in hopes it would disintegrate him. "I don't see how that is any of your business."

"Put the daggers away, they do nothing for me. What's crawled up your ass?"

Frustrated, I slammed my phone down. "Salem sounded off. Not unhappy, but something was just off, and I don't know what it is."

He sat back against the booth we were crammed into. "Hm. Well, what did he say?"

"Nothing. He just... talked, and he didn't talk much."

"That helped none. Did he ask you anything?"

"He asked what was doing tonight, so I told him, and then he said he was tired and going to bed."

Vesper choked on his next sip of drink as he started laughing. He set his glass down considering it had become a hazard. "Oh, you poor soul. You're just so clueless, it's almost adorable."

"You're about to pick how you're going to die."

He rolled his eyes. "Sweet— oh, wait, nope. I'm going to respect your boyfriend's wishes. Anywho, you're an idiot. You've been here three days with us, and Salem called, for the first time since you've been here mind you, to see what you were doing. Damn, I wonder why your boyfriend, who you haven't seen in three days, would do that? Can you possibly think of anything? I sure can."

I curled my tongue over the top of my teeth. "I've never been in a relationship before, so why don't you be a little more clear. Because it's starting to sound like I'm failing somewhere, and I need to understand fully."

"Christ, you're hopeless. Salem misses you, asshole. He asked what you were doing in hopes you were or would be available soon. And your answer declared that you wouldn't be."

"Why can't people just say what they mean?"

"Damn, I don't think you get to ask that question. You're the king of doing that. Anyway, Salem is aware of your trauma now. You two have this unique friendship, so the transition is going to be hard. Realistically, it's going to need to be you who says things like 'I miss you' and 'I want to see you right now' before he does. You've been very closed off, and Salem has spent years catering to that and you. Now, it's time you cater to him. You telling him those things will essentially make him then feel like he can. A relationship is vastly different than a friendship. If he wouldn't say those things in your friendship, it's only normal for him to be unsure if he should say them now. Out of fear of looking needy."