Page 59 of A Sweet Destruction

Not necessarily a requirement, but I’d jumped on the chance to actually do something at night.

Ever since that first taste of what it felt like to actually sleep, combined with Ford’s stubborn insistence that we continue sleeping as close as physically possible without touching, I’d managed to actually find some rest the past two nights.

The problem was, I’d woken up literally on top of him the previous morning. Ford only woke up when I jumped off him like he was on fire.

All he did was grumble something about being comfortable and moved on like it was nothing.

I was too busy fiddling with one of the straps on Sky’s saddle to brace myself for his approach.

“How are you doing?” he asked, voice sliding over me like sun-warmed water.

My eyes stayed firmly planted on the task in front of me. “If I say excited?”

I felt his answering snort of laughter on the back of my neck. “Of course you are. The first actual city we are seeing. I’m tempted to handcuff us together just to make sure you don’t run off.”

Something sharp stabbed behind my stomach. There were too many probable causes to focus on one. “We’ll need to stay focused,” I tried, my throat closing roughly over the words.

Ford was undeterred. “I’m sure we’ll have a second. If not, I’ll make one.”

The Bond did a happy flip in my head, before pouring something close to white hot plasma through my veins. It was clear its five-year long slumber hadn’t stolen any of its strength. In fact, it seemed like it had been hoarding it.

The last time I’d felt this all-consuming pain, I was so close to insanity I’d been work-shopping ways of asking Ford if it would be alright if I hugged him. Nothing crazy, just wrapping myself around him like an octopus, if he wouldn’t mind.

“Let’s just focus on getting there,” I said. “We don’t even know who our escorts are.”

Ford’s hand landed on my shoulder, trying to spin me around. My knees buckled right under me, and I jerked on Sky’s saddle so hard he got spooked and reared up on his hind legs.

The next thing I knew, I was stumbling into open air, nearly falling to the dirt if my reflexes hadn’t kept me standing. I had just enough wits about me to turn back around, only to find Sky and Ford staring each other down.

Ford had his hands raised in surrender, but his body was rigid, standing between me and Sky. Sky, meanwhile, was staring him down with big, dark eyes that screamed, If you don’t move, I’ll move you.

I didn’t have a second to laugh about it, because pain lanced down my arm a second later, drawing a rough cry from my throat.

“Shit, sorry,” Soren muttered under his breath, taking his hand off my shoulder and stepping back, raising his hands like Ford had.

A domino effect, because now Ford was the threatening one, stalking towards Soren with a murderous glint in his eye.

“What the fuck did you do?”

“Everyone stop!” I yelled, and Ford was the only one who listened. Soren still had his hands up, but was now trying and failing to hide a laugh. Sky was kicking up dirt in irritation. My hands were shaking and my body felt tense and just wrong. “Can we please just get our shit together? We’re going to be late.” The sky was already starting to brighten into stark daylight.

I stomped towards Sky, who stopped kicking dirt when he realized I was giving him attention. Too busy arguing with the Bond under my breath to realize that everyone was staring at me, it took Ford’s rough, “Esme,” to break me out of my stupor.

I turned to look at him over a stiff neck, finding Ford confused and Soren…no, was that scared?

“What?” I asked him, barely noticing Ford’s flinch. I didn’t know what that was about and I certainly did not care.

Soren raised his hands again. What was the deal with him thinking we were going to attack him? The way my throat was rumbling with a restrained growl was no matter. “I believe,” Soren swallowed a breath, “that Ford here is under the impression that I hurt you just now.”

Oh. Well, yes, I guessed Ford looked none too pleased.

“He didn’t hurt me,” I tried.

“Esme, you screamed and almost fell to the ground.”

“You know that I overreact.”

“I have seen you get stitched up without so much as flinching.”