Page 139 of Toxic Kiss

“Good. Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” There is no hesitation in his answer.

“Okay. There’s no black void. You’re in the hallway outside my room. Here...” I take his hand and put it on the floor. “Feel for yourself.”

He flinches, but then relaxes when nothing happens.

Still on my knees, I give him a minute to process.

Suddenly, Cy pulls on my arm, hauling me into his lap before wrapping his arms around me and burying his head in the side of my neck.

“Please don’t leave me. I don’t deserve you, but please don’t leave me.”

With my arms around his shoulders, I hug him tight.

“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper, rubbing his back gently.

Vex walks around the corner and stops when he sees us. He is sporting a bruise on his jaw, but he doesn’t seem angry. He points at Cy, and I know what he is trying to ask. The problem is…I don’t know if he needs help.

I mouth, I don’t know.

He points toward the kitchen and mouths, yell if you need me.

I nod. Pulling back to check on Cy, I panic when he keeps his eyes clenched shut.

“Cy, look at me.”

“I’m scared.”

“I’ve got you. I’ve always got you. Remember? We just argued about this, it is officially my fatal flaw.”

He snorts, and a sad chuckle vibrates his chest.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“You’re right. You don’t.”

“I can’t let you go,” he says, sliding his hands up my arms to my face, mimicking my pose. But he still hasn’t opened his eyes. “What if I forget you? I can’t live if that happens. I can’t forget you, Haven. I can’t.”

“Shh, just breathe. That won’t happen.”

My heart aches watching him go through whatever’s causing this episode. I believe that he didn’t take any drugs despite what Anita and Declan claim. But his symptoms seem to be getting worse.

“Do you believe me?”

He nods.

“We’re going to figure out what’s happening,” I say, and he shakes his head.

“The doctor…he thinks I’m schizophrenic,” he says and breaks down, his body shaking.

I bite my lip to keep my emotions locked down.

“But nothing helps,” he continues. “I’m getting worse. I don’t think that’s it, but what if it is, and there is nothing that will help me, and everything just becomes…nothing. Just a void everywhere. What if I forget everyone, what if⁠—”

“No. Don’t go there. You know me, and you know that I’m the most annoyingly persistent person you’ve ever met. I’m telling you that we will figure this out and get you the right help. Okay?”

I’m not sure I believe the doctor either. I don’t have a degree on my wall and I’ve never even known someone with the disease, but deep down, I know Cy, and there is something unusual about what I’ve seen. My gut is telling me it’s something else.