Afterglow: A Brother's Best Friend Romance, page 5
“You need to not freak out when I tell you.”
A low growl sounds on the other end of the phone, forcing me to press my lips together so I don’t giggle at her small outburst.
“Bitch, you should know that sentence alone is causing me to panic already.”
I sigh, inhale slowly through my nose, and exhale through my mouth. She is not going to be happy about this. I only hope Briana will be able to prevent her from committing murder. Hell, who am I kidding? Briana will be right beside her while they kill Leo. They’d probably fuck in his blood. A smirk forms on my lips at the idea. Kinky fuckers.
“Okay, there is a lot to get through. So you must promise not to interrupt while I get it all out.”
“Fine, just start talking already.”
“Last night, I tried to talk to Leo. He didn’t want to, then he tried to force me to suck his cock.” Caidance takes a sharp inhale, but surprisingly, she doesn’t interrupt. “I bit him as hard as I could, which resulted in him throwing me into the coffee table. After that, he repeatedly punched me in the face. When he was finally done assaulting me, he said some mean shit and left.”
“Oh my God.” She gasps. “Are you okay? Where are you? Why didn’t you call me last night?”
“I’m okay now. I’m at Dax’s house. I didn’t call you because I didn’t want you to pressure me into going to the cops.”
“Dax rescued you?”
“Yeah. He’s the only one I thought would come without questions, and I was right. He didn’t force me to do anything I didn’t want to do, and he’s letting me make the decisions I think are right.”
“Fuck,” Caidance exclaims, her breath catching in a way that tells me she’s crying. “I’m so sorry you are going through this. What are you going to do now?”
“Dax is letting me stay here until I’m healed. After that, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I guess I’ll move home again. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to tell my parents Leo and I broke up.”
“So, you’re not going to the cops at all?”
“I’m not sure. At first, I didn’t think there was a point… he’s only going to get a slap on the wrist. You know he comes from money. People like that are never punished the way they should be. I’d be the one who has to relive the hell of last night, over and over and over again. For what?” I pause, taking a few deep breaths to calm my nerves. “I still believe that, but he’s been sending threatening texts, and I’m getting scared. Maybe I should report it.” I’m still not certain about what I want to do.
“Maybe you should tell your parents about the breakup now,” Caidance suggests. “You don’t have to tell them about the abuse, but what if he goes to them trying to get to you?”
I gasp. Why hadn’t I thought of that? Fuck, I really am stupid.
“Shit,” I mutter. “Why is all this happening to me?” I whimper, tears begging to fall again.
“I’m not sure, hun, but we’ll get you through it.”
“Thanks. Do you mind if I tell my mom I’m staying with you for a little while?” I ask, wanting to create a cover story.
“Of course. If anything happens with the Dax situation, know you are more than welcome here. Our door is always open to you,” she promises.
“You’re the best.” I thank her, and we say our goodbyes and hang up.
Now to call my parents. My stomach rolls as I try to get the gumption. This is going to be awkward as hell, and I am not looking forward to it.
“Izzy?” Mom answers, confusion filling her sleep-filled voice, and I realize how late it is. I bet she dozed off on the couch like she often does.
“Hi, Mom,” I say, trying to put an extra pep in my voice.
“Why are you calling so late?”
Fuck, I guess it’s now or never.
“Leo and I broke up,” I state, ripping the Band-Aid off.
“Oh no. What happened?”
“We got into an argument. I decided we would be better off not together anymore. I’m staying at Caidance’s for a while,” I lie, my stomach twisting in painful knots.
“Are you sure you can’t work it out? Leo is such a good man.”
Fuck, I wish she was right about Leo.
“No, Mom, it’s beyond that point,” I tell her as honestly as possible.
“Okay… we’ll always support you no matter what. Thank you for letting me know. If you need anything, please call, okay?”
“Thanks, Mom, I will. If he tries to reach out to you, can you please ignore it and let me know?” I plead.
“Are you sure you won’t be able to reconcile?” she tries again.
Under normal circumstances, I would be frustrated at her for not listening to me. But she doesn’t know the real truth. Seeing things from her side, I understand why she’s asking.
“I’m positive, Mom. If Leo calls you, it will only be to lie to you. He’s not as good as we thought.”
“Did he do something to you?” My mom’s question makes me want to break down and spill the truth so badly, but I can’t. Not yet, anyway.
“I’m fine, Mom. Just please don’t talk to him. He isn’t taking the breakup well. I’ve blocked his number. I want to move on with my life and forget about him, okay?” I plead, telling as much of the truth as possible.
“Okay, baby girl. I’ll let your father and brothers know as well. I love you.”
“I love you too. I’m going to go to bed now,” I tell her, and we share a quick goodbye and hang up.
Throwing myself on the bed, I stare at the ceiling, wondering what to do. I was planning to write an email to Afterglow tonight, but I’m too exhausted now. I might as well go to bed. Standing, I make my way to the bathroom to get ready. While I’m changing into my only pair of pajamas, I make a mental note to buy more.
I’m about to climb into bed when a knock on the door startles me.
“Come in,” I call out.
Dax enters the room with that smile that always makes my heart beat a little faster. I had taught myself not to swoon over it anymore, but I’m not sure it will ever not affect me in some way.
“I figured you should eat.” He places a tray on the nightstand. “I realized I didn’t feed you lunch. I’m sorry. It’s not much, but hopefully, it will fill you up so you can have a good night’s sleep tonight.”
On the tray is a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich, along with some chopped veggies and a side of ranch. Next to it is a glass of water and my pills.
“It’s perfect,” I respond with a genuine smile. My heart aches in a way it hasn’t for Dax in a long time. Stupid fucking crush.
“Don’t forget to take your pills before you go to bed and make sure to drink all the water.”
I nod, enjoying how caring he’s being. I keep expecting him to bring up what I blurted out in the Jacuzzi, but he doesn’t. Maybe he didn’t hear me after all. Or maybe he’s just ignoring the fact that it happened. That’s probably the more likely situation.
“Sleep well,” he croons in a soothing voice before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.
A girl could surely get used to being treated like this. I have to keep reminding myself this is temporary. Also, he’s only acting like this because I’m Riley’s little sister. He’s not into me the way I’m into him.
No. Not into him.
I don’t see him that way anymore.
That was the sixteen-year-old me.
I’ve outgrown that obsession.
Sitting to eat, I savor each bite. Damn, it’s so fucking good. I’ll have to cook for him one of these nights as a thank you.
Once I’m finished eating, I take the pills and climb into the soft bed. The last twenty-four hours have been so fucking insane. I need to rest before I can think about anything else.
By the time I wake, Dax has left for work but left a note on the island counter for me.
Dear Izzy,
I hope you slept well. I made a bunch of pancakes this morning. Heat them in the toaster or microwave for breakfast. There is also a tiny bit of fruit I cut in a bowl for you.
For lunch, text me what you want, and I’ll have it DoorDashed to you.
I work until five today and will be stopping at the store afterward. Please text me with anything you need, and I’ll make sure to pick it up for you. If you want to have anything specific for dinner this week, let me know so I can get the appropriate groceries. I’ll cook for us when I get home.
I want you to relax today. Spend some time in the Jacuzzi or run yourself a hot bath. Sleep a lot and watch TV until your brain melts.
Drink lots of water. It’s important for your body to stay hydrated so it can heal.
Don’t worry about anything but healing.
If you need anything, call me. I’ll respond as quickly as possible.
Have a good day,
Dax
Holy shit.
Is this man real?
My eyes almost water at how sweet he’s being. I knew Dax was a good guy, but this caring, nurturing side is something I haven’t witnessed before. Which brings up the question, why doesn’t Dax have a girlfriend? If he treats a friend so well, I can only imagine how amazing he would treat his girlfriend and sub.
How would anyone let someone like him get away?
Opening the refrigerator, I peer inside for a moment before grabbing two pancakes, taking them to the toaster, and plopping them in. While they are heating, I search the kitchen for a plate, utensils, and a cup. In my search, I come across a giant straw tumbler that will ensure I drink lots of water without having to refill too often.
The pancakes pop up after not too long, and I spread some jam on them before devouring them. Damn, Dax is such an amazing cook. Something I could definitely get used to.
My body feels a lot better today, for which I’m thankful. Feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck sucks balls, for sure. The bruises on my face are still on the dark side, but they aren’t as tender today. Also, the swelling around my eye is slowly coming down, which makes me happy.
Once I’ve finished with breakfast, I fill my cup, grab my phone, and send a text to Dax.
Me: Thank you for the pancakes. They were delicious.
Me: If you must DoorDash me something, I would like a grilled chicken salad from Jack in the Box, please.
He doesn’t respond right away, which I expected. I’m sure he’s busy with his patients.
From what I’ve heard, he’s an amazing doctor.
After taking my pills, I put my phone in my pocket, clean the kitchen, snatch my water, and make my way to the theater room.
Once I’ve found the remotes, I plop myself in a giant recliner that molds to my body in the most comfortable way. How the hell am I ever going to want to leave this thing? Is it designed to entrap people with pure comfort? This is seriously the life.
I need to figure out how to convince Dax to let me be his permanent roommate. Not that I could afford a reasonable rent on a place like this, but maybe he’ll let me pay what I can. Not like he actually needs the money, but I don’t want to mooch off him, either.
I turn on Netflix, queuing up a comedy and mindlessly scrolling on my phone. The first thing I do is block Leo on all of my accounts, not needing him to have any way to contact me. After that’s done, I swipe through Facebook and Instagram, not paying attention too much until an Afterglow post pops up.
Shit. I forgot to send them an email. Opening the notes app on my phone, I type away, trying to come up with the perfect way to tell them what happened. How much detail should I give them? I want them to know how much of a piece of shit Leo is.
Once the message is worded perfectly, I paste it into an email and hit send. It was the last thing I felt like I needed to do. I should feel free now, but this tornado of worry is still circling me.
God, I hate Leo so fucking much.
A buzzing in my lap startles me awake, and I blink several times, trying to wake up fully.
“What time is it?” I murmur as I open my phone to check the text that so rudely woke me up.
Dax: Sorry for the late response. This morning was hectic. Your lunch has been ordered and will be there at noon. Are you drinking your water?
I giggle at how much his dominant nature comes out into his everyday life before snapping a picture of the tumbler and sending it to him.
Me: Yup. Found this cup. It’s perfect.
Dax: I forgot I had that. Make sure to drink at least three of those.
Reflexively, I type ‘Yes, Sir’ but then delete it. Sending that would be beyond inappropriate. It’s just such an automatic response for me. I didn’t even think about it. Thankfully, my brain clued in before I was able to hit send.
My life has been crazy enough for the past two days. I don’t need to add more shit to the list.
Me: Will do.
Dax: I’ll see you around six.
Me: *Thumbs up emoji*
I return my phone to my lap and lean back a little more in the recliner. I’m not halfway through an episode before my eyes flutter closed, sleep pulling me under again.
A godawful ringing noise wakes me with a jolt. Fuck, why can’t I fucking nap in this place?
As I force my eyes to open, I finally realize what the noise is—the doorbell.
Rushing downstairs, I hit the button on the intercom system.
“Hello?” I answer, not entirely sure how this works.
“Hi, Izzy?” a raspy male voice asks.
“That’s me,” I reply, like a dork.
“My name is Edward. I’m the concierge today. Dr. Pierce informed me you were staying with him for a while.”
“I am,” I confirm. When did I stop being able to form more than two-word sentences?
“That’s wonderful. Your lunch order has arrived. Would now be a good time to bring it up?” he inquires.
“Um… yeah.”
Wow, Izzy. You’re so well-spoken today.
My brain must still be foggy from the amazing nap I just had. I’m sure it will fully come back online after I eat.
“Fantastic. I’ll be up soon,” he tells me and disconnects the call.
I’ve never lived in a building with a concierge before, but it sounds super cool. It also makes me feel safer that I don’t have to leave the apartment to get my food. These walls are like a fortress to me right now.
I’m not ready to leave them yet.
A moment later, a different pinging noise alerts me that the elevator is coming to our floor.
“Hello, Izzy. I’m Edward. It’s nice to meet you,” an older man with white hair and bushy eyebrows greets with a giant grin when the elevator door opens. “Here is your food.”
“Thank you so much. Sorry for not being very talkative on the intercom. I’m kind of new to this fancy lifestyle.” I give him a sheepish grin.
He chuckles, waving his hand at me after I take the food from his hands.
“It’s totally okay. If you need anything, let me know,” he reminds me and hits the button for the elevator.
Did Dax tell him everything?
He didn’t look surprised at the bruises on my face. Or my still-slightly-swollen eye. Maybe he’s trained to never appear shocked. I’m sure Dax didn’t give him more information than he needed to. He wouldn’t betray my trust like that.
My stomach grumbles as I open the salad. Well, I didn’t think I was that hungry until now. I lick my lips, my tongue running over the roughness, alerting me to how dry they are. I probably need to drink more water. I run upstairs to grab my water tumbler and sit on a barstool to eat.
Kicking my feet while I munch on the salad, I take a moment to look inside myself and figure out how I’m doing. Honestly, I’m doing a hell of a lot better than I expected.
I thought it would be awkward to be alone in Dax’s apartment, but I’m finding myself very much at home already.
I need to remind myself to not get too used to this.
It’s only temporary.
Dax will never want more than friendship with me, and I don’t really want to be roommates with a man I have a crush on.
Chapter 8
Dax
The moment I enter the apartment, I’m hit with the most delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. Pausing, I take a deep inhale, and my mouth literally waters.
“I thought I told you I would cook when I got home?” I scold with a tone that lets her know I’m joking as I come around the corner to set the bags of groceries on the counter.
The elevator bell would have alerted Izzy to my arrival, so thankfully, she wasn’t startled by my words.
Glancing over her shoulder, she offers me a giant grin. “I’m more than capable of cooking, Dax. Honestly, it’s the least I could do to say thank you.”
I take a moment to appreciate the sight of this gorgeous woman in my kitchen. Her hips sway to the low music playing off her phone, drawing my eyes to her ass. Something I should not be staring at. She looks so at home, and that makes me happy. It also has my heart doing this little flip that I haven’t felt before.
Needing to stop being a creep, I head over to Izzy, peering over her shoulder to find out what she’s making. She shakes her head, that smirk still on her plump lips, as she stirs the spaghetti. There’s a pot of sauce simmering next to it.
“Meatballs are in the oven. You didn’t have any loaf bread, or I would have made garlic toast too.”
Even though I planned on cooking for us, I’m honestly relieved she took on that role tonight. It’s been a crazy day at work, one I wasn’t expecting.
“You should have texted me. I would have picked one up.”
She shrugs. “Then we would have had to wait to eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” She pulls the pot off the stove and heads to the sink to drain the pasta. “Everything is almost ready. Why don’t you put away anything that has to go in the fridge or freezer? By the time you’re done, we should be ready to eat. I’ll help you put the rest away after dinner.”
