“Jason, I wanted to speak to you privately.” My mother tsks as she comes up beside me and helps me open the alcohol swabs. “Let me do this, your hands are too big.”
I step to the side and watch as Skyler looks away and her face pales. She’s terrified of blood but never told me why. I didn’t get the chance to ask either and it’s another thing on my list of things I want to know about her.
“Does one of you want to tell me what that was all about?” Mom looks to Skyler and then to me.
“Breathe through your mouth, Sky.” I take her hand and she doesn’t pull away from me. The warm feel of her delicate fingers in mine is like a shot of heroin into my system.
This is the reason I left her before. This feeling right now is why I had to let her go. Because one fucking touch with her and I become something different inside.
Her eyes lock with mine as if she feels my blood boiling. Where there should be fear and disgust I see longing and it turns my stomach. I couldn’t tell her what I felt because I knew she’d run away screaming, but maybe I should have because having her so close is testing me once again.
I was working late when there was a soft knock on my door and she walked in. She was part of the late night cleaning crew that worked for the building I leased my office space from. I’d stayed late plenty of times and never saw her before. It was her first day and she spilled bleach all over her uniform. I ended up giving her my old T-shirt, telling her boss that I ruined her uniform so she wouldn’t get into trouble.
That’s where it all began.
A while back I took a chance in a new business venture and it ended in bankruptcy. It was an experience that changed me and made me see all of my shortcomings at once. I lost it all, but in a way I found myself. I realized what I had to do to stay on top and I would climb my way back eventually. It took time, but I swore that if I ever got back where I was I’d never be foolish enough to lose it again. When I met Skyler it was like everything around me dissolved, leaving only her in my sight.
I didn’t care that I’d lost it all or that I was about to turn my life around. All I wanted to do was be with her and breathe the air next to her for as long as I had left on this earth. Skyler consumed me and there’s no other way to put it. She was and still is my entire world.
“Ouch,” she hisses and closes her eyes tight.
“I’m sorry, honey.” Mom blows on the cuts and leans back. “I’m just trying to clean it up. It’s nothing terrible, just a lot of little scratches. I think the worst of the bleeding is over and I can just put some Band-Aids over it.”
“Thank you so much,” Skyler says as she flinches.
“Which one of you is going to tell me how you know one another?” Mom looks between us and I see a little pink tinge in Skyler’s cheeks.
“We met a little while ago.” Skyler shrugs and I clench my teeth at how nonchalant she is.
“She belongs to me.”
Both my mother and Skyler stare at me and now it’s my turn to shrug.
“You’ve got a funny way of showing it.” Skyler narrows her eyes before she turns away and tries to tug her hand out of my grip.
“You don’t understand,” I sigh and shake my head.
How can I explain to her that staying with her will only make her miserable? I can’t be with her, but I can’t let her go and I know that makes me an asshole. I just don’t care.
“Oh, I’m sorry, were you going to explain to me why you just disappeared overnight and then I see you with he—” She clamps her mouth shut, but it’s too late. I saw her eyes dart over my shoulder to Gia where I know she’s sneaking around behind us, trying to hear what we’re saying.
“My sister had some drama with her fiancé, but they’re okay now.”
Her eyebrows pull together as she looks up at me again. “Is that why you left?”
“No.” I can’t lie to her, but I don’t know if she’s ready for the truth.
She rolls her eyes and looks away. “I need to leave.”
“Why don’t you stay for dinner first?” my mom offers, ignoring my sounds of protest. “Then I’ll make sure you get home safe and sound personally.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I say as I grab Skyler by the upper arm and help her stand up from the stool. She’s all bandaged up and I need to get her out of here. “Let’s go.”