I wince as his hand connects with Langston’s jaw.
Langston immediately strikes Enzo back, hitting him in the eye.
Such boys.
“Stop it,” I say.
Enzo’s mouth goes slack as his punch stops mid-air. I’ve denied him my voice for so long that two simple words make him stop thinking about killing Langston for long enough to pay attention to me.
I sigh. I don’t like seeing Enzo hurt, even if I don’t love him. Even if a part of me hates him. And Langston sure as hell doesn’t deserve to be injured.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you, man. So get the hell out,” Langston says, trying to protect me.
“No fucking way. You don’t get to sleep naked with my woman.”
“She’s not your anything. She’s her own woman. She can make her own decisions, and she doesn’t want you here.”
“I’ll leave if she tells me to leave,” Enzo says, turning to me. The ball is in my court.
I could easily tell him to leave, but for some reason, I don’t want to. I’m physically exhausted. Last night was torture. I barely got any sleep between the night terrors and the morning sickness. Morning sickness my ass; mine likes to hit me in the middle of the night.
There is something drawing me back to Enzo. It’s not love, more like curiosity. We have shared more together than I have with any other person. If anyone can keep the nightmares away, it’s him.
And as for the morning sickness, this baby might be his. I don’t logically think that him being near would stop the sickness. I know that’s not how it works. But it’s worth a shot.
So I don’t say anything.
Enzo smiles.
Langston looks to me. “Do you want me to go or stay?”
I don’t want to speak again, so I nod for him to go.
Langston nods back. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
“She won’t. She needs me,” Enzo says confidently, walking over to the bed.
Langston shuts the door on the way out, and I know he will keep to his word and sleep in the hallway all night. I never thought I’d need Langston to protect me from Enzo. And it’s not that I need protection. I know Enzo won’t physically hurt me. But it doesn’t stop my body and mind from playing tricks on me.
“Why didn’t you tell me, stingray? Why didn’t you tell me you were having nightmares?”
I don’t answer. Because I don’t want you to have any hope.
He smiles. “Don’t worry about me having hope. If you truly don’t love me and can’t love me again, then my hope is gone.”
I narrow my eyes, not believing him.
He chuckles.
Why is he being so lighthearted about this?
“I’m going to guess the nightmares are about Milo?”
I nod almost involuntarily. They are about Milo, but also about someone else.
He grins again, as if he is winning a prize.
“And Langston hasn’t been able to keep them away?”