Page 162 of Fighting Chance

More than scared.

I’ve spent the entire day with my chest so tight I felt on the verge of passing out. My phone was practically glued to my hands, Google open. I’m never letting those searches see the light of day. If Kieran and Bella knew the extent of what runs through my mind when I’m feeling off, they would drag me to see a psychologist and beg them to help me.

When you spend years searching for answers, you learn anything is possible. Your sore throat could actually be an early symptom of cancer. The sudden migraines could be a mass on your brain. The lethargy might actually be a parasite riddling your body.

It’s easy to imagine the worst when you’ve already been dealt something horrific. If something rare happened once, then it could happen again.

Bella tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear as she gets comfortable beside me. “Well, lucky for you, no plans have been canceled, only altered.” She holds up the bag in her hand. “Got all your favorites. Chips, candy, and most importantly…”

Gasping, I snap upright. “Are we watchingThe Vampire Diaries?”

She laughs. “Just one look and you knew! Yes, I’ll watch it with you.”

I point an accusatory finger at her. “From season two.”

“Yes, yes, from season two, where Damon’s cockiness is more appreciated.”

I sigh dreamily. “I love that man.”

“Who do you love?” a deep voice asks behind me.

Kieran appears, frowning down at me as if I just killed his cat. Or ran over his heart.

Bella smirks. “Layla’s first love, Damon Salvatore.”

That does nothing to alleviate the worry etched across his features. If anything, his frown deepens.

Reaching over, I pat his hand. “He’s a fictional man.”

“Fictional,” Bella snorts.

“What? He is!”

Kieran moves the conversation away as he takes the bag from Bella’s side, ignoring her protests as he rifles through it. “All your favorites?” he asks.

I nod, not entirely sure why my blood hums as he seemingly catalogues each item to memory.

“Might not go down too well with that healthy concoction,” Bella teases, taking a whiff of the bowl. “Please tell me you have more. It smells amazing.”

“There’s plenty on the stove.”

Kieran barely finishes his sentence before Bella’s up and off the couch, heading for the kitchen. “Why the hell are you always stealing my food when you can cook?” she yells as she serves herself a bowl.

Because he likes food made by his loved ones, I think to myself, our conversation coming to mind. Dropping my head back, I find his eyes already on me. “Why do you hide that you can cook from everyone?” I whisper, quiet enough so no one else hears.

Kieran drops the bag beside me and places his forearms on the back of the couch, bending forward enough to brush his lips across the shell of my ear. “Want that answer, sunshine? You’ll have to cough up another one of those spicy books of yours.”

My swallow is audible and suddenly I’m extremely grateful that Grayson joined Bella in the kitchen. My cheeks flush. “Y-you read the chapter?”

“Every word.”

My breath hitches.

Kieran’s warm hand reaches out and cups my jaw, tipping my head back even further so his lips are a hair’s breadth from mine. “I know exactly what you want,” he whispers.

“And what’s that?” I find myself asking, my gaze dropping to his lips as they twitch.

“I think it’s better to show you rather than tell.”