34 - Squandered

‘Can I get you something to drink?’ Kylar follows me into the hallway, I pad back through to the kitchen.

‘No,’ he shakes his head. He watches me before looking at the kitchen door, he’s frowning, ‘do I shut it?’ he asks and stares at me in a way that makes my heart ache. He wants to know if I need the door open, so I can hear the boys.

‘Please,’ the word catches in my throat. I turn my back on the man as the door clicks shut and move to the small sofa that’s against the far wall. Usually it’s overlooking the garden, but the blinds are drawn for the night.

I sink down on the cushions, pulling one onto my lap. As though it’s some kind of shield against the man who stands before me, on the other side of the table. He has his hands planted on his hips as he stares at the blinds before sitting down. His long arms stretched across the table before he pulls them back. As though he doesn’t know what to do with them. I know the feeling.

I want to bring my legs up, but the urge to run