The Last Victor

Chapter 28

What's Real Anymore? - Part 1

Thankfully.....even through the continuous bickering, death storm, and the scariest of them all being Kaiden's INSANE driving.....we all make it back to the casino in one piece.

Did I think it would be possible?

Not a shot in hell.

Am I thankful nonetheless?

Very.

Once we arrived and got settled in, everyone kind of wandered off to do there own thing.

Pax scurried off to explore the place.....Ace and Asher entertained themselves with a friendly game of pool.....Kaiden went straight for the liquor......and Arabella and I passed out.

And by the looks of it, it seems like we slept through the whole night.

Rays of sun peer brightly through the window, making my eyes flutter open.

I sit up groggily in my bed and try to rub the tiredness from the last few days out of my eyes.

I glance over to my left at Arabella who is still fast asleep next to me. I told her she could crash with me so she didn't have to sleep on the couch or be stuck with one of the boys.

Her hair is unruly as tumbles of blonde curls cover her face. Even so, she still manages to look peaceful, her chest gently rising and falling with every soft snore.

Taking into consideration the exhausting events of last night, I let her continue to sleep. This is in no way because I might be scared of what would happen if I woke her up......

With much effort, I push myself out of the bed until my feet meet the roughness of the wooden flooring.

I put two hands on my lower back and arch it out in an attempt to relieve some of the deep, aching pain within.

I swear I feel like I've aged fifty years since these games have started.

I open the door and step out into the hall quietly, sure not to wake her or the others up.

Almost instantly a chill overcomes my body causing a shiver to run up my spine, a gust of wind traveling through the hallway from the open window.

I cover my arms around my body and walk over to it.

It's still early out as the sun is just beginning to rise over the quaint town, showcasing a breathtaking display of radiant colors. Bright streaks of red, pink, and orange are prominent as they start to overtake the dark blue and purple that are left of the twilit sky.

Carefully I lift one leg over and out the window ledge and jump onto the fire escape, remembering this feeling all too well.

I watch my step as I climb to the top and hoist myself up onto the roof. Confirming my hunch, Kaiden is in fact awake and taking advantage of every second of daylight. Much like the first time, he doesn't seem to notice me as he concentrates on his workout, jabbing his fists in his makeshift punching bag.

His hair comes down over his forehead and sticks to his face as his skin shines with sweat in the morning light.

"Thought I'd find you up here." I cover myself with my jacket and walk towards him with a small smile.

At my voice, he stops mid stride and reaches out to hold the bag in place so it won't swing, turning to meet my eye.

His gaze rakes over me assessingly. "You're up early."

"Couldn't stay asleep I guess." I shrug my shoulder at him, "Mind if I join you?"

His nods his head as he wipes drops of sweat from his forehead. "Not at all."