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“I know. Weird to think that there will be a toddler running around this house sometime in the future. I’m going to have to make some changes.”
“We. We’ll have to make some changes. Whatever you want to do, Zie and I will help.”
Axel nods, not really responding, already slipping away to his thoughts. He’s probably planning a complete remodel on the house he built for Odi, to make it even more perfect for her and now Rose too. He’s going to spoil those girls, I can tell.
Leaving Axel at the forest house several hours later, I head back to campus. I need to check on Zie. I shouldn’t be riding mybike after drinking so much, but if I keep my visor open and take it easy, the fresh midnight air will clear my head.
That’s what I tell myself, anyway.
Slowing as I approach the university gates, I check over my shoulder. It’s pitch-black, but I can’t shake the feeling of being followed. I’m sure it’s just the booze making me paranoid though. The security guard must have let me in without seeing me, I decide, shaking my head and pulling my visor down.
The street is quiet. Even the bike path I usually take is deserted. I stop at the edge of the road, the city lights glittering at me in the distance, and I realise I have no idea how to get to Zie’s dorm.
Sighing, I pull out my phone and text him, hoping I don’t wake him and piss him off.
He replies telling me to fuck off. Grinning, I text him again. A second later the block and room number comes through, so I leave my helmet with the bike and take off across campus to go see him.
At least I know he’s alive and not doing anything stupid.
Odile says it’s not fair that we’re all in the same class now without her. My father keeps telling me to be friends with her and I hate it. I like Odi, and I want her to be my friend for real, not just because my father says so.
I understand why my father wants me to be friends with Zie and Kaiden, because he is friends with their dads and I think they work together, though probably not with the knives and guns, because I’m still not allowed to talk about it.
I don’t understand why he would want me to be friends with Odi though. He doesn’t seem to be friends with her mum.
Odi’s standing outside P’s bar when I arrive. It’s been nearly a week since she asked for space and Axel’s been going out of his mind. I didn’t expect him to grant her wish, but he’s shown amazing restraint.
She finally messaged last night asking if we could meet today, surprising us all.
She’s stamping her feet and rubbing her hands together in an attempt to keep warm, and her button nose is tinted pink from the cold. She looks beautiful, and the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her is overwhelming.
“Hey,” she says, giving me an awkward smile. “Thanks for saying we could meet here.”
“It’s okay. It’s better than anywhere on campus with the flat out of action and I understand why you wouldn’t want to go to the hotel.”
She grimaces. “Definitely not there.”
“I’ve got the keys, shall we go in and warm up? I’ll light the fire and get us a drink while we wait for the others to arrive if you like.”
“Sounds good. Lead the way.”
I unlock the doors, disarm the alarm and flick on the wall lights. There’s no need to light this place up like a Christmas tree just for the four of us. The familiar scent of aged wood and peonies swirls in the air, instantly warming my senses and reminding me ofhome. Odi follows me down to the far end of the room, and within a couple of minutes the crackling sound of the fire fills the cosy space, casting dancing shadows across the rug. Odi takes a seat on a sofa beside the fire, slipping off her coat and holding her hands up to the flames to thaw.
Her beauty is radiant in the firelight, her glistening green eyes reflecting the glow of the firelight and sending shivers down my spine.
I leave her to her thoughts and head to the bar to grab us both a drink. On a small silver tray I place four glasses and a bottle of top shelf scotch knowing that we’ll need something strong for this meeting. Conversation. Whatever it is.Truth Day, I guess. It’s been a long time coming and is way overdue.
I carry the tray back to where Odi’s sitting and pour generous measures of amber liquid into all four glasses. Handing Odi aglass, I raise mine to toast before taking a sip. The smooth warmth of the scotch lingers on my tongue as I watch her delicate lips press against the rim of her glass. Her eyes flicker with a curious intensity while she studies me studying her. She barely wets her lips with the drink before lowering her glass once more.
“You know, there’s something about this place,” Odi says softly, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. “It feels like stepping into another world – a hidden sanctuary away from everything else.”
I nod in agreement, captivated by her words as they align with my own thoughts. P’s bar has always been a safe haven for me, my secret escape from the chaos of our lives and the judgmental eyes of others. It’s above board. A pure space. One that reminds me of Odi.
As I lower myself onto the plush leather sofa near the fire, our bodies brush against each other, setting off an electrifying spark. The air thickens with anticipation, and it becomes increasingly difficult to resist the magnetic pull between us, even though neither of us utters a word. We just sip our scotch in silence, and pretty soon our glasses are empty, so I refill them.
The enormous clock at the far end of the room ticks away the minutes as I struggle to know what to say. There’s still a chasm of secrets between us, but I hope Odi can sense that I’m trying to build a bridge back to her.
With every stolen glance, desire grows like a fire raging out of control. The scotch in our glasses soon becomes an afterthought, as the real intoxication lies in the air between us. The warmth of Odi’s body seeps into mine, igniting a need that has been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. Her fingers trace delicate patterns on the side of her glass, sending shivers down my spine and causing my heart to race.I want those fingers on my skin.The fire crackles and pops, mirroring the buildingtension that threatens to consume me. It’s as if time is standing still, taunting me with what could be.
