Page 47 of Somnium

“Are you really?” he asked, his voice softer now, his eyes refusing to let hers go. “Or do you just think you have to be?”

Cadi pulled in an unsteady breath. The intensity of his stare felt powerful enough to expose the jagged pieces of herself she’d sooner keep hidden. Something told her there was nowhere for her to hide when he looked at her like that.

“I know I have to be,” she whispered, barely able to force the sound from her throat. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he shifted forward.

“But what if you didn’t?”

Cadi’s grip cinched around her glass, her mind pushing back against the suggestion. That wasn’t an option for her, it couldn’t be, but the way he was looking at her right now was dangerously close to making her believe that could change.

“I should go,” she said with a false smile as she slid off the stool and shrugged her bag onto her shoulder.

“Cadi, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to⁠—”

“You didn’t,” she interrupted, not sure she could handle whatever he was about to say. She could feel herself breaking, and she needed to get out of there before he saw.

Elias stood, and Cadi felt herself take a step back before she could stop it. She knew he just wanted to help, but her body and mind seemed determined to put distance between them. This was too risky, too close, and she knew that letting herself believe this could be different was foolish. It always ended the same. They never stayed. So why should he?

He stopped short when he saw her move, regret flashing in his eyes. “May I walk you to your car?”

Cadi shook her head. “No, really. I’m fine.”

She winced when she heard the automatic response slip out so easily. She really needed to stop using that word. Especially since it was obvious that not a single person in that room believed her when she said it.

“I have to go,” she said as she took a step toward the door. “I’ll see you around.”

She turned to walk away, listening closely for any sign that he was following her or that he might insist on escorting her from the bar, but none came.

He let her go.

14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CADI

“Holy shi—Cuba, no!”

The massive black dog lurched forward, pulling her leash taut and nearly yanking Cadi off her feet in an attempt to take off down the sidewalk after a cat. Cadi widened her stance and wrapped the leash around her hand, holding firm to keep the canine in place and give the cat ample time to slink away.

Cuba looked back at Cadi, her tan eyebrows lifting as if she were trying to sweet-talk her into letting her go just this once, the cropped nub above her butt wiggling with excitement.

“I’m not letting you dismember the neighbor’s cat, sorry.”

Cuba’s answering huff told Cadi she didn’t much care for that answer, but seemed to accept it all the same as she turned back around and pulled Cadi forward again at a much more manageable pace to sniff at a potential potty spot.

It only took three trees before Cuba found one with the right scent profile. She then added her signature to the guest book before tugging them both back in the direction of Sera’s apartment.

Cadi jiggled the key in the lock, grumbling and trying to find just the right angle to make it turn. Sera had failed to mention that not only was the deadbolt stubborn as hell, but the door was also just slightly too big for the frame, forcing Cadi to shoulder check it just to get inside.

She stumbled across the threshold when the door gave way, then stooped down to unclip Cuba’s leash. The dog immediately pounced on her toy shaped like a fox, thrashing her head back and forth in celebration of catching her elusive prey. She then proceeded to drag the unfortunate item to the tan couch in the middle of the room, where she began to gnaw on its head in search of the squeaker.

Cadi looked around the apartment, at last able to fully take in the comfortable space now that she had handled the dog bathroom emergency. The loft was small, with every wall made up entirely of exposed brick and dark wooden beams that extended across the ceiling. The living room and dining room essentially occupied the same space, which must have made cleaning a breeze, with a small kitchen tucked in the back left corner. The butcher block counters added a touch of warmth to the otherwise industrial area, since nearly every other cooking surface was made entirely from stainless steel.

Crossing to the kitchen, Cadi made note of the metal staircase to her left leading up to the bedroom, next to what appeared to be one of only two windows in the entire apartment. If she craned her neck, she could just see the end of a bed, and decided that would be the next area to explore after she got Cuba her dinner.

Cadi read the note Sera had left on the counter, which she quickly realized had to be the most useless set of dog sitting instructions she had ever seen.

Bed is yours.