Page 34 of Rescued By Midnight

“Then I guess I don’t have a home.” Hell, it sounds so dramatic when I say it out loud like that. But it’s the truth, isn’t it? Jericha took over my home. And now I’m a guest, staying with friends.

“You have a home here,” he says, ignoring the elevator when it chimes a warning. “Come on, Wonderland.”

“Look,” I whisper, “I know Cody doesn’t want me here. I don’t want to mess up your friendship, and I definitely don’t want to stay where I’m not welcome.”

He curses under his breath, then shouts, “Cody? Get your ass over here.”

“No.” I jab the close door button, but it does nothing because Landon’s still blocking it. “Landon, don’t.”

I keep my gaze down when I hear Cody’s approaching footsteps.

“Fuck, Alice, I’m sorry,” Cody says. “I shouldn’t have said that shit—I was mad at Landon.”

I nod, sounding perfectly pleasant, keeping my focus on the floor. The tiles are perfectly aligned, the diamond pattern flawless. “It’s fine. But you’re right. I need to find somewhere more permanent.”

“This is the safest place for you.” Cody steps forward, stopping in front of me. “I want you here, okay?”

I don’t believe him, but what the hell else am I going to do? I have no money, nowhere to stay except with Brayden. I have a suspicion that if I showed up at our house right now, he would be scrambling to shoo Jericha out the back door.

“I’ll stop being a dick if you come back in,” Cody adds. “I do want you here, and I want you safe. You’re safest with us, and it makes the most sense.”

I risk a glance at his face. His usually clean-shaven cheeks look scratchy with whiskers, and his light brown eyes project misery.

Does he actually mean what he’s saying? Because I don’t think he wants me here. I heard everything he said a minute ago, and I can’t ignore that.

But I do think this is the safest place. I might not be the smartest woman in the world, but I’m not stupid enough to wander around alone at night.

“I really am sorry,” Cody says.

“It’s okay. I’ll stay,” I finally say, while making a mental vow to find other living arrangements as soon as possible.

Landon exhales and ushers me out of the elevator. Cody steps aside, allowing us to go past him.

CODY - NOW

I’m an asshole. I haven’t always been, but sometime between Nessa’s death and Alice’s engagement to Brayden, I changed. I got tired of hurting.

But I still want to help people, and I still want to help Alice. Saying that shit out loud to Landon was wrong.

She said it was “okay,” when I apologized. It is not okay.

If Landon tattles to Charmaine on me, I’m a dead man. My sister raised me better.

I watch as he leads Alice down the hall toward her bedroom. I inhale her subtle coconut and vanilla scent. Something about the way she smells makes me lose all sensible thought. I want to tackle her against the wall and get on my knees, yank up her dress, apologize with my tongue against her clit, force her to forgive me with every orgasm I deliver.

And here I am, just as much of an asshole. This time for wanting to ravish a vulnerable woman.

Then again, something tells me Alice is less vulnerable and a lot stronger than Landon and I give her credit for.

ALICE - NOW

My therapist, Cammie, holds her sessions in an office decorated with crystals, velvety throw pillows, and dream catchers. I half wonder if I somehow ended up in a fortune teller’s parlor instead of therapy. Maybe she’s also hiding a crystal ball and tarot deck somewhere.

“Alice, welcome.” She shakes my hand. All of her fingers bear rings. Some fingers have multiple rings. How does she get anything done with all this metal on her hands?

She wears a gauzy, paisley-patterned skirt and a plain t-shirt. She has a nose ring, a diamond stud that sparkles every time it hits the light. Her blond hair is pulled back in a single braid.

I think in another life, I would have wanted to be her.