Page 20 of The Monster’s Weakness

“Okay.”

She clearly didn’t believe a word he was saying, but it was the truth.

He felt irritation begin to rise, then killed it immediately. She didn’t know anything. She couldn’t know anything. From her perspective, he’d walked out after sleeping with her and vanished.

He looked at her. Really looked at her. The guarded expression. The chain. And suddenly he understood exactly what story she’d been telling herself all this time.

His stomach dropped. “You think I didn’t call you on purpose?”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“We’re both adults,” she said. “You don’t owe me anything.”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t say that.”

“Why?”

Because it wasn’t true. Because he’d spent three days half out of his mind trying to get back to her. Because he’d been bleeding in a freezing building thirty miles outside the city thinking about her and only her.

“You thought I used you.”

Her eyes flicked to his. There it was. Confirmation.

“I was supposed to be back by morning. I swear I wasn’t avoiding you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What happened to your face?”

“I’m not lying, Gemma. It’s been a rough few days. I haven’t slept. My phone’s totaled. And all I’ve thought about is you.”

She immediately reached for the chain. It briefly rattled and the door opened.

He stepped into the apartment. He’d seen it through the windows, but not like this. It was smaller than he expected, and even though her furniture was rough, everything was clean. She clearly liked plants, and there were a lot of girlie things like a heart pillow and little statues of smiling mushrooms.

“Let me look at you,” she said.

He didn’t argue. After finally getting back into town, he hadn’t even stopped to shower, sleep, or look in a fucking mirror. Caleb stood there, his arms at his sides. He felt like the walking dead. She reached up on her tiptoes, her hand on his face as she inspected his injuries.

“That’s a huge gash. What on earth happened?”

He stumbled slightly to the side, but righted himself quickly. It was the lack of sleep. He was going on fumes about now.

“Caleb!”

“I’m okay, Princess. Just need sleep.”

“Get into my bed.” She tugged him to her bedroom with urgency. Once in the tiny room that smelled like vanilla, she made him sit on the twin bed and pulled his shirt up over his head. “Oh my God!”

She squatted down at the edge of the bed and put her hand next to his homemade stitches. It hadn’t been the first time he’d performed minor surgery on himself. He wasn’t worried. The problem was going to be explaining all this bullshit, and knowing he’d have to lie to her again.

“It’s nothing.” He dropped to his back, the bed squeaking from his weight. Caleb draped an arm across his eyes, exhaustion taking over.

“You’re scaring me, Caleb. You need to go to the hospital. Come on, I’ll drive,” she said.

He was already drifting into sleep. Being next to Gemma made everything okay. He didn’t have to worry anymore. He’d done enough of that the past few days.

“I don’t like hospitals,” he whispered.