Chapter 40

I touched his chin with my finger.

His eyes popped open. He came up on his elbows.

"You're back," he said when he saw me. "I fell asleep." His brow crinkled in concern. "Are you okay? I was worried."

I was going to tell him that I was okay. I was going to tell him that I was sorry. I was going to say thank you for having my back and thank you for the money. I was going to say a lot of things, but in the end I buried my face against his shoulder in shame.

"I left you, Paul. I can't believe I did that. I didn't protect you. I was so busy trying to get laid. I should have never left you."

Paul put his arms around me. "It's okay." He hugged me. "Um ... get laid?"

I looked up at him. "No, I didn't." Not exactly.

He stroked my hair and looked at me for a long time. "Even if you had, it's just the blood. It's not you. I do get that."

It was just the blood. He was right. This was only the succubae in me, but it wasn't me. I smiled. "You are just so cool. You do mean it? You're not just