Page 37 of Every Single Broken Piece
I take hold of a slice and bring it to my mouth. Closing my eyes, I bite into the cheese, ham, and pineapple, the flavors bursting over my tongue.
My chin trembles as I chew, and even though I feel conflicted emotions, I keep eating.
Levi leans back against the couch, and placing his right hand on my back, he uses his left to eat.
His touch is soothing, and slowly the chaotic mess in my chest begins to settle until I’m left with a bittersweet emotion.
God, I miss you, Sage.
My eyes mist up, and I blink quickly.
On the next bite, the image of Mom being dragged by her hair flashes through my mind. It’s quickly followed by Dad’s groan for me to run.
I ran. I left them and ran.
My stomach churns violently, and shoving the box off my lap, I dart to my feet and run for the hallway. I have no idea where the bathroom is.
“On the left,” Levi says behind me.
I make it to the toilet in the nick of time and lose everything I ate, and my body jerks violently.
Levi gathers my hair, and I want to tell him to leave so he doesn’t see me like this, but I can’t.
When I stop vomiting, I feel drained of all my energy, and a dry sob bursts over my lips.
Levi pulls me back, and he flushes the toilet. He moves his arms beneath me, then I’m lifted from the floor before being set down on a counter.
I watch as he soaks a washcloth, and when he begins to wipe the heated skin of my face and neck, my gaze meets his.
“Pizza is banned,” he grumbles.
“We should add chocolate cake to that list,” I reply, my voice hoarse from being sick.
Not caring that I’m being selfish, I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck. I need to hold him for a minute. Or an hour. I need the comfort I can only get from him.
Levi nudges my knees open, and stepping between them, he engulfs me against his chest, his arms solid bands of safety around me.
“I know it’s difficult for you, but I need this,” I whisper. “It’s comforting.”
“It’s not difficult for me,” he murmurs.
One of his hands cups the back of my head, and I feel him dropping kisses on my hair.
Closing my eyes, I focus all my attention on Levi, and it helps a lot.
What is it about this man that makes him have this calming effect on me?
I have no idea how much time passes before Levi says, “Lick needs to go outside.”
I pull back, and when he moves away from me, I slip off the counter. “I’m going to go to my place. I need to brush my teeth a million times.”
“Okay.”
I begin to feel self-conscious about vomiting in front of Levi and hurry out of his house. I’m hit with a blast of cold air and fold my arms around myself as I dart over the stretch of lawn.
When I pull my back door open, I hear my phone ringing and jog toward the couch where I left it.
Seeing Jordan’s name, I answer, “Hi.”
