11. MINE

A door closing stirred me from sleep. My eyes fluttered open, ears listening but nothing came to me. I closed my eyes yet still listened. I didn’t have a clock but I was sure it was too early.

My head pounded hard from reading all night long. Slade himself had slept very late, maybe four hours ago. I had dragged through until I reached halfway through my book and gave up because there was no way I was finishing it. I had probably gotten two hours of sleep. My eyes begged me to close them but there was a grinding sound then silence.

Slade was awake and something prompted me to slide out of bed. I quickly rushed to open my door and marched to the stairs just as I heard the front door open. I broke into a run and stopped at the edge of the stairs, looking down as Slade walked out the door.

It was still dark outside.

“ Hi,” I called, wrapping my arms around my frame because it was cold.

Tall, handsome, wearing a suit, his leather bag in hand and his phone on the other. He turned, givi