ALAYNA“Going somewhere?”I look up at the man blocking the way. It is that mask, the same gray eyes, and melodious baritone voice. I’m still not sure if I’m dreaming or if the alcohol has already affected me.How is this possible?“Brandon,” I say, still unsure. “No... It’s impossible.”A deep groan vibrates in his throat, and his chest tenses up. He grabs my wrist, his thumb pressing on my pulse. I can feel the warmth of his palm on my skin.“Do you not know when to stop or when to come home?” he asks, sounding furious.I shake my head. “This must be a dream,” I murmur. “I must be dreaming. You seem so real!”His jaw clenches. “Because I am!”I gawk at him, still astounded. It’s him. He’s really here.“Wait!” I jerk my hand away, but his grip tightens. “How are you here?”“Is that important?”I manage to pull my hand back and glare at him. “Why are you touching me? I thought you hated it so much.”He leans closer and shuts his eyes as he moves away. “Come on now. Let’s get you home.

I feel a bit refreshed after a cold bath, but my head is still throbbing. It’s my rest day, but I want to check my supplies. Ms. Lennie is in charge of Brandon’s meals on the weekend. I find her at my station with a new girl.She looks so young and charming. She has wavy, dark brown hair, pouty red lips, and curvy hips. She is wearing a similar uniform as a cook, only simpler. I can’t help but wonder: Did they hire new kitchen staff? If so, why is she at my station?“Good morning, Ms. Lennie,” I greet her. “I’m just going to check the supplies so I can ask the grocer for refills.” My attention wanders to the brunette beauty next to her. She’s slicing the salmon into thin strips.“Good morning, Alayna. No need, dear. I already asked someone to fill up the supplies,” she says. “And Alayna?”“Yes?”“I’d like you to meet Casey. She’s going to be your assistant, and she’s only in charge of cooking on the weekends. Oliver decided to leave the kitchen to you, and Casey will deliver the food

BRANDONI throw the last pin on the dartboard, but it doesn’t hit the bull’s eye. I blow out a sharp breath of frustration. “I can’t do it, Ollie. Not again.”“Relax, man.” He stands, pulls the pins, and hands them back to me. “When are you telling her, then?”“I told her it won’t take a month, but it’s been another week.”I can only connect with her by eating the meals she prepares for me. She’d always leave a note, saying, “Enjoy your day” or “I miss you,” and I can’t even write back.Oliver sits on the corner of the desk. “You still have to tell her.”“This is too much.” I aim for the bull’s eye once more and throw the pin. It barely hits the center. I groan. “How am I supposed to tell her that I am going to be away for such a long time?”“It’s going to take a year,” Ollie reminds me. “You need a lot of time to completely change yourself. You need to learn everything again. It’s like, back to basics. So, you have to tell Alayna about this.”I stop. “Did he agree to perform the surg

I go out of the room for a bit after our little dinner. When I return later, Brandon is sitting on his bed with his legs crossed, holding his iPad. I realize that he’s changed the bed covers as well.He smiles at me. “I just thought it might be more comfortable for you.”“Are we going to sleep now?” I ask. It’s kind of early, and I still want to spend more time with him while conscious.He puts his iPad down. “Would you like to?”I move closer to him and run a finger over his bedsheets. “Not yet.”“Good.” He steps off the bed and takes my hand. “Come, I want to show you something.”Wondering where he’s going, I just let him take me. We walk back to his living room, and he opens a door I hadn’t noticed before.I frown. Just how many secret doors does he have? It didn’t look like a door at first, more like a part of the wall.I can feel his hand tightening around mine as he flips on the light. My jaw drops when the place flashes before my eyes.A wall made of tinted glass is filled with

Brandon is still serenely asleep when I go back to my room at four in the morning. I need to pack my things for the trip, and I don’t want to disturb him.I hadn’t felt so safe sleeping with someone next to me for a while, other than my mother, but something inside me just doesn’t want to surrender all. I had to move out of the room, at least for the night.The sky is clear and sunny as I go out at six. Oliver is standing next to a black SUV, settling the luggage inside. He’s dressed in a casual polo shirt, khaki shorts, and a pair of brown leather topsiders.“Good morning, Ollie.” I approach him. My voice is still croaky.“Wow, someone’s happy,” he remarks. Taking my suitcase, he shoves it into the compartment.“That’s a lot of baggage. I thought we were only going to stay for a night and two days?”“Betty’s coming too, but we’re going to meet her later.” He shuts the compartment door. “You ready?” He grins.“Yes, where’s Brandon?”“He’s inside the car. Get in.”Oh. I didn’t notice h