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Still, I paused at the door and inclined my ear, listening for anything amiss.

When it seemed clear, I shifted her weight a fraction so I could get to my key and slid it into the lock. Metal gave as I twisted, a soft metallic click, and the alarm system began to beep.

I tapped in the code then reworked the locks behind us, then I carried her through the small living room and to her bedroom.

I flipped on a bedside lamp so I could see where I was going, then trudged into the bathroom.

I left the lights cut in there so they wouldn’t bother her, only the dim flood coming from the bedroom.

“Oh, no, Trevan, put me down,” Elena suddenly begged, and I shifted her around one second before she was gripping onto the toilet to hurl again.

I rubbed her back and held her hair while she did.

“Why didn’t anyone stop me?” she cried quietly as she slumped against the floor.

A soft chuckle rolled out of me.

“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Trevan Niles.”

“Not laughing at you, Little Apple. Just commiserating since I’ve been right where you are a hundred times before.”

Pushing to standing, I moved to the vanity, pulled out a washcloth from the cabinet below, and turned on the faucet.

I ran the cloth under the cool fall of water.

My boots barely scudded on the floor as I moved back to her.

The girl a ball on the floor.

Black hair stuck to her face and her cheeks flushed and pink.

My heart ached but for far too many fucking different reasons.

I knelt beside her and patted the damp cloth over her drenched forehead before I swiped it across her mouth. “There we go.”

“I don’t feel good.” The words garbled together.

“You drank half your weight in alcohol. You’re bound to have a nasty hangover, honey.”

“I just wanted to let go.” She whispered it like she was on her knees in confession.

“What are you letting go of?” My voice was a murmur.

I didn’t think there was a word that could pierce me any deeper than the single one she released. “You.”

TWENTY-NINE

ELENA

My head felt fuzzy and the room spun. Delirium running through me on a circuit.

“You.”

The word was out before I could process it.

I wanted to choke and to plead it back. Or maybe it didn’t matter as it floated out into the ether.

Because Trevan’s hand was big and warm as he brushed back my hair, muddled words barely touching my ears as I felt myself drifting away.