Page 85 of The Ninth

Once he realized I wasn’t turning around, he came in front of me, picking up my hands. The left ring finger had a little red drop of blood clinging onto the tip. His thumb grazed the back of my hand before turning and going to get a first aid kit at his desk.

“Come here.”

My feet obeyed before my mind did. I walked to him quickly, slightly tripping over myself. He shook his head while sitting in his desk chair. To my surprise, he lifted me up, sitting me in front of him. His scent and just overall presence infiltrated me as he wrapped my finger.

“We spoke with each other. We set expectations...boundaries. You promised to tell me when you were in trouble or something bothered you.”

“I will!”

“Devyn, you haven’t. You have bags under your eyes. You’ve lost weight. You’re high as fuck and smell like it. Nodding off in front of clients? C’monnnnnnnn, folks. Stop bullshitting me. Something is eating you up, and instead of treating me like a man you’re pursuing a future with, you’re pulling away. I don’t like waking up and going to sleep wondering if you’re okay. If you’re safe. I’m scared for you.”

I looked down, forcing the tears and cries to stop from coming up.

“Relationship or whatever aside, I can’t have you being late and coming in here fucked up. I would never allow it from anyone else here, so I can’t from you. Devyn, you let me down.”

Those were the magic words to the floodgates. I burst into tears, slamming myself into his chest. Without a thought, his arms wrapped tightly around me, kissing my ear and my neck. I sobbed as his voice whispered that it’s okay.

We didn’t speak on me crying and why I cried. He knew by now that I wasn’t going to tell him. I’m not telling him about Cassandra. Not yet. I went to sleep every night dreaming of my confession. That I worked at The Ninth. My only string to tie up was my job there. But now I have my position here slipping through my fingers. I have Duke slipping through. I have to stop.

“Stay in here...”

I nodded as he laid me down.

After about thirty minutes, he came and got me. We left together inside of his truck, getting tavern style pizza from Italian Fiesta. His big hand wrapped around my inner thigh the entire drive home. I felt so much comfort being with him. My mind kept wondering why I wouldn’t just give in.

He had some family things going on which led to him sitting in the living room on the phone. I sat in the den alone, watching a movie and eating. It sounded serious and I didn’t want to interrupt. I quickly brought him food and his drink before kissing his forehead. I found myself undressing inside of his room and getting into his shower. Once finished, I got into his bed, falling asleep with just his t-shirt on.

I woke in the middle of the night to him sleeping in the recliner next to his bed. My mind immediately thought he fell asleep there, but it looked intentional. He didn’t ask to sleep in bed with me. He didn’t want to wake me. His answer was to sleep in a chair in the room with me, even though he has other beds.

He told me I let him down which is true. I’m still lying about Cassandra. Lying about The Ninth. I don’t deserve him.

After slipping out of bed and putting my clothes on, I left out of the house.

Chapter 18: The Trilogy Part Two

Devyn’s POV

Three weeks after boat day

“FUCK!”

I yanked my jacket further up onto my shoulder as I rounded the corner to the shop. Once I came into view of the door, I saw Duke standing outside against it. My heart dropped as I stopped running, catching my breath before I made it to him. He’s definitely waiting for me for a reason. I can’t handle losing this tattooing shit right now. Not on top of everything.

“Baby...” I whispered as I got up to him.

“Baby? I’m your baby? You leave in the middle of the night and duck my calls checking on you for twenty-four hours and I’m your baby? Devyn, I even kept hope that you would call me or see me before I went out of town to help my moms out.”

“You are my baby. I’m not worried about or focusing on anyone else. I want everything we talked about together. I’m just having a really hard time and I get scared. Scared that me not being in the right mental space will push you away.”

“You treating shit how you are is already doing that, folks. I’ve been patient with you. You know I’m coo, so I don’t know why you duck and avoid me. You could’ve said no to coming to my house. Woke me up to take you home or watch you leave. Called me back and said you just needed a few days. All I’m asking for is honesty and communication. For you to wrap your shit up and come to me so we can work whatever out. You feel me?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t doubt it. But you gotta tighten up, my Devyn. You hung over, smelling like liquor and shit. I can’t let you tattoo like that and I also can’t keep excusing your shit because I wanna be with you. I gotta lay you off for ten days.”

I instantly wanted to cry, but I pushed it down. It’s not fair to him to cry every single time he’s stern with me.

“And us? Us for ten days?”