I ignored that. “I’ll see you later,” I said and started heading towards the door.
“Don’t fuck her around,” she yelled at me.
I stopped. Turning, I said, “That’s not my M.O.”
She nodded. “Good.”
Once we had that settled, I left. As I stepped outside, I scanned the street. It looked clear tonight. I hadn’t mentioned anything to Layla, but I had concerns Mario would be back. Tomorrow, I’d put some eyes on her in case he did. That motherfucker wouldn’t fucking want to, though.
***
“Blade!”
I turned to the familiar voice screaming my name.
Ashley.
I smiled at her and began jogging to her. She kept moving, th
ough. I thought she was so close, but the more I ran, the further away she seemed. The smile on her face turned into a frown the longer I took.
“Ashley!” I yelled, extending my arm for her to grab hold of.
She reached her hand to try and grab onto it, but the harder we both tried, the further away our hands seemed.
“Blade, where did you go?” Her eyes grew sad, and when I saw the first tear fall, my heart constricted.
“Nowhere, baby. I’m right here,” I promised, wanting to take all her tears away.
Why does she think I went somewhere?
“No, you’re not. You went away. You left me,” she accused.
My foot hit something while I was running, and I fell.
The last thing I saw was her tears.
I was falling.
Falling into the darkness.
I sat bolt upright, my heart almost beating out of my chest.
Fuck.
The sheet stuck to my sweat.
Again.
I turned to the bedside clock.
Four fifteen am.
I scrubbed my hand over my face as I recalled the dream. I had no idea what it meant, and no desire to figure it out. Pushing the sheet off, I left the bed to take a shower.
Maybe it’s time for sleeping pills.
A couple of hours of sleep wouldn’t cut it today.