Chapter 42

Trey's POV

The room is quiet now, the weight of everything lingering in the air between us.

I roll over, pulling the blanket over both of us as Zay rests his head on my chest, breathing slow. It's calm-too calm after what we just shared. I can feel the heat still radiating off of him, the buzz in my veins, the tension from before finally easing out of my body.

But, even as I try to settle, my mind can't fully let go. I glance down at Zay, his face soft against my skin. It's hard to reconcile the way he acted just now, all grinding and touchin' and saying those words that set me on fire. Damn near forgot where I was.

Still, he's so still now. It's like he's trying to make sense of it all, too.

"Zay," I murmur, fingers grazing through his hair. "You good?"

He hums, shifting against me. "Yeah, Pa. Just..."

He trails off, and I can feel the weight of his words-like he's thinking too hard about something that don't need to be thought through. I know that silence too well.

"You sure?" I ask again, making sure to soften my voice.

He doesn't answer right away, and I don't push. But after a minute, he tilts his head up to look at me. His eyes are dark, pupils still blown wide like he's not all the way back yet.

"Yeah, I'm straight," he says, but his words don't quite match the flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. "Just... this shit feel different."

I nod, my fingers running down his back, feeling the warmth of his skin under my touch. I know what he means. It's like we just crossed some kind of line, but I'm not sure if it's something we can go back from, or if I even want to.

"I feel you," I say, voice low, but firm. "It's different. But it's just us, love. Ain't nobody else gon' change that."

Zay looks up at me, eyes steady for the first time in a while, like he's seeing me for the first time all over again. His lips part slightly, and I can feel that pull between us again, like it's all too easy to fall back into this.

"Pa..." He leans in, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that's soft but full of need, all heat and hunger. It's like he can't help himself, and neither can I.

After a few seconds, I pull back, a slight smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "You gotta chill, love. We just finished."

He chuckles, rubbing his hand over his face. "I know, but you..." His words trail off as he shakes his head. "I can't even explain it. You just get me..."

I reach for his chin, tilting his head up to meet my eyes. "I always got you, pretty. You just gotta let me."

He breathes out a soft laugh, a mix of relief and something else I can't quite place. "Yeah..." He leans into me, his body warm against mine again. "I let you, Pa. I let you."

We stay like that for a while, letting the quiet settle between us again. It's not rushed, not forced. We've already been through enough. This, whatever it is, feels like it's just the beginning, but it's something I'm ready for.

Zay sighs, his hand moving up to rest over my chest. I can feel his fingers tracing the tattoos on my skin. "You ever think about how all this gon' be?"

I think about it for a second before responding, keeping my voice steady. "I think about it every day. But I ain't worried about it. We figure it out. Always do."

Zay's breath evens out, and I can tell he's relaxed now. His body's not so tense, and I feel the weight of everything he's been carrying lifting just a little.

"Yeah. We do."

And for the first time in a long while, I believe it too.