Stefano:Taking you up on that offer for the beta blockers.
Me:OK.I’ll call my dad in the morning.
Stefano:*thumbs up emoji*
Me:Are the migraines getting worse, or just the usual?
Stefano:Don’t know.Just tired of feeling like ripping my own head off my shoulders.
Me:I’m sorry.Tonight’s events probably didn’t help much, huh?
Stefano:That was mild.Deals go bust and things go bang all the time.
Me:You know you could’ve just ordered me to attend the dinner with you, right?You didn’t have to pretend to not understand Korean.
Stefano:Can I order you to let me kiss you?
Me:Nope.That would be an abuse of power.
Stefano:What’s the point of having power if I can’t use it to do whatever the fuck I want?
Me:Power without control is destruction.Power without respect is a downward spiral to failure.Power that feeds on itself inevitably implodes.
Stefano:I’m not good.I’m not moral.I’m not a fucking gentleman.I kill.I use.I abuse.Next time your lips are in front of me and I want to kiss them, I won’t ask.Report it to HR.
Me:That’s hardly fair when “HR” is your twin.
Stefano:He won’t take my side, trust me.
Stefano:Go to sleep.Good night.
A smile tugs at my lips as I roll over and do exactly that.I’ve never been more excited to fall asleep.Eager to check my footage in the morning…
~
SOMETHING NUDGES MEfrom the depths of sleep.I stir, hovering in that sweet rift between oblivion and awareness.
Little by little, the scent of whiskey, spice, and cologne lures me out...
Stefano.
He’s here.
The realization yanks me fully awake, but I remain still.Eyes closed, breathing steady.Because I’m not supposed to be awake when he’s here.I’m not supposed to know.Right?
My back’s to him, so it’s easy to feign ignorance from this position and slip back into oblivion.
A few minutes later, however, as I’m on the edge of falling back asleep, there’s a subtle nudge against my thigh.
It feels Intentional.Did he do that on purpose?Does hewantme to catch him in here?
The soft flick of a page turning breaks the silence.Ah,he’s reading.He’s probably just absorbed in his book and forgot where he is.
I try to relax, coax myself back to sleep.
But a moment later, he clears his throat.
A minute after that, the headboard gives a faint rattle.
