Page 4 of Psycho Saints

"Hey," I whispered back, smiling at the nickname that was never going anywhere.

He stretched, his arm tightening around me for a moment before he propped himself up on an elbow. "Sleep okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, actually. Better than I have in a while." I had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with his presence and the way he'd been playing with my hair. Either that or because I'd been so emotionally drained.

Julian's lips quirked into a half-smile. "Good. You needed it."

We lay there in comfortable silence, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us. But it didn't feel suffocating. It was just... there. He stared at me with an odd softness that made my heart flutter, and I took in his face, the curve of his lips, the sharp line of jaw and the slight stubble. His blond hair was a ruffled mess, which only made him look more at home and content.

Kenny chose that moment to saunter up the bed, demanding attention. I laughed as he head-butted Julian's chin.

"Alright, alright," Julian grumbled, but there was no heat in it. He scratched behind Kenny's ears, eliciting a loud purr from our companion.

I shifted to better pat Kenny, and became suddenly aware of the pressure in my bladder. "I need to pee," I announced, sliding out of bed, knowing my bladder control was always tested first thing in the morning.

Julian chuckled. "Thanks for the update, pyro."

I rolled my eyes and padded to the bathroom, leaving him to his cat-whispering. When I returned, the bed was empty, and my heart sank a little. He'd left without a word, which was odd considering our casualness this morning. I'd been oddly enjoying this side of him, this softer, sweeter side. This human side.

Shaking off the disappointment, I headed downstairs, desperate for coffee and trying to ignore the worry gnawing at my insides. I touched my stomach as I headed down the staircase, my stomach twisting with unease. The anger at Cristian bubbled up again, threatening to consume me as I scowled.

My anger fizzled down as I found Julian in the kitchen, buttering toast. "Want some?" he offered.

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Please."

"Ty needs me at a meeting," he said as he slid a plate towards me and beckoned at the different spreads he'd taken out, as if he'd been planning to offer them to me. "You'll be home alone, but he said you can call Naomi. Figured you might need to talk to someone close."

The thoughtfulness caught me off guard, and I softened. "Thanks," I murmured, biting into the toast.

"So, what's this meeting about?" I asked between bites.

Julian shrugged, his expression carefully neutral. "Nothing you need to worry about."

I narrowed my eyes. "Is it about the Russos?"

"It's family business," he replied as he leaned on the counter, his own toast poised by his mouth. "Call if you need anything, okay? Or text if you want food delivered." He polished off his slice of toast in a few bites, and I frowned, not satisfied with his evasion.

"Well, I'm off, you've got Kenny here. Don't get up to much trouble," he said as his gaze moved to where the furry creature was padding into the area, looking at us expectantly. Julian moved to the other counter, whisking an already prepared bowl of cat food off the counter and setting it on the floor before he made his way to the elevator.

"Bye," I called out, knowing the disappointment was evident in my tone.

He glanced back at me as the elevator dinged, and gave me a nod of farewell before stepping inside.

Well, at least I could call Noms. She was sure to have something to say about all of this.

I grabbed my phone once in my room and dialed Naomi's number, my heart fluttering as I waited for her to pick up. When she finally answered, her voice was a mix of relief and concern.

"Scar! Thank god. Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm... I don't know, Noms. It's been a hell of a few days."

I spilled everything to her - Cristian removing my IUD, the possibility of pregnancy, my decision not to take the morning-after pill. Naomi listened, occasionally cursing under her breath.

"Jesus, Scar. You need to take that pill. This isn't the time or place for a baby."

I sighed. "I know, I know. But... I can't explain it. Something's holding me back."

"And if you are pregnant? You can't keep it, right?" Naomi's voice was gentle but firm.