Chapter 25

"If we were meant to be together, we would be together."

-Channing Tatum

Sighing sleepily, my fingers reach out blindly, but instead of finding the warm skin they seek, they curl around the rumpled bed sheets. Opening my eyes slowly, I blink against the pale morning glow filtering into the room.

The unexpected hollow I feel in my deep in my chest reminds me what it's like to wake up without a past. Without a childhood to look back on, without memories of my best friends and family, without knowing who I was before I woke up in Santa Barbra. Pushing those thoughts aside, I swing out of bed. Why dwell on the past when there's a perfectly good future waiting for you?

I then make my way toward the open door leading directly to the terrace. The air is warm on my bare arms and legs. I had slept in one of Dimitri's T-shirt's, it was a light material and only reached mid thigh but in this heat it wasn't uncalled for.

Dimitri leans against the railing, overlooking the city. Even with his back to me I can imagine the thoughtful look in his deep eyes, the content in his shoulders. The sight warms me and the ache inside me deepens, in a good way. I know he hears my almost soundless approach but still he doesn't turn around.

My arms slide around his torso, and my face presses into his back where I inhale deeply. He doesn't say anything, just takes his hands off the railing and wraps them around my enclosed one instead.

We stay like a for a few minutes, basked in the sunlight.

Eventually I unwind my arms from around him and take small step back.

Dimitri faces me, and before I can say anything he places both his hands either side of my face and kisses me slowly. I'm overwhelmed. I'm terrified. I'm excited.

I wrap my arms around him again, this time pulling him closer so there's nothing to separate us.

"Dimitri," I mumble around his mouth.

He takes possession of my hips, sending a jolt through me, fire burns inside of me. My back gently hits the stone wall and a breath of complete content escapes me. Embarrassed, I only ball my fistfuls of his shirt while his mouth opens mine and his fingers run through my hair.

It was all to much and yet the closeness of it wasn't enough at all. Dimitri hoisted me up against the wall and I secured my legs around his hips. His lips trail down my throat and I felt savage satisfaction when he lets a low, throaty moan.

"Someone might see us," I say, confused. All I can feel is Dimitri and I don't want it to end.

"Tell me to stop," he whispers.

We stare at each other, hunger and passion are written all over him.

I wanted him so much it hurt.

I had lost so many moments with him. So many memories. It seemed unfair that would hurt me. How could you lose something you never really had? But Dimitri was mine and damn it, I wanted this. I wanted him.

And despite everything that's happened, we could make new memories.

I would have told him not to stop. I would have said that's the last thing I wanted.

Then his phone went off.

To stunned to say anything. Dimitri lowers me to the ground-reluctantly so-and reaches for his phone. I don't know what's going on the other end but his features turn rigid.

My breathing slows and Dimitri nods and mutters something in Russian.

"What's wrong?" I ask, watching him warily as he places his phone on the patio table.

"Rose," he sighs, and similar to before he takes my face in his hands. "I need you to know I would never hurt you."

"I know," I say, and I mean it.

"We should wait."

He presses his fingers to my lips before I can protest.

"Think about it, okay? If you still want me tonight..."

I grin, he really has no idea. "Fine," I tell him, "I'll think about it."

The sly look in my eyes makes his laugh and I wrap my hand around his neck and pull him down for another long kiss. This ones softer, sweeter in its own way and deeper and makes every part of me burn alive.

Dimitri gives me one last kiss before he takes off. His job was demanding and when I'd been gone he had stopped going, but now it was like he was making for lost time. I was happy the look, the haunted one that reminded him he'd almost lost me, didn't show in his eyes anymore. He was happy and that was all that mattered. I sigh, still feeling his lips everywhere they touch.

Suddenly a phone goes off and I deduce he must forgotten it on the table. I remembered the tense look he had on his face and without knowing why, I know I'll pick it up. My hand slides around the small silver object.

"Dimitri?" It's a woman's voice but not one I know.

"He's not here," I say, "Can I take a message?"

Silence meets me and I feel a twinge of annoyance. It's not like Dimitri and I were a secret anymore, but I wasn't surprised the way women through themselves at him.

"Rose."

For some reason my heart rate picks up. The voice holds a tremor of fear. "Who did you say this was?"

"I didn't."

"That's helpful," I snap. "What do you want?"

"You really have no idea," she whispers so quietly I barely catch it.

My fingers dig deep into my palm and clutch the phone. "I've had enough of this. Unless you want to give me some answers than I'm hanging up."

"What if I could give you more answers than anyone else?"

The question almost struck me as funny. Somehow I knew she was talking about the accident. Usually when I brought it up everyone closed off from me, even Dimitri didn't want to talk about it and his strength and courage were limitless. But now someone was offering me the truth.

"What's your name?" I ask quietly.

"Tasha."

The phone almost slips through my fingers. I'm frozen. Tasha. Tasha as in Natasha Ozera...Heat rushes to my face.

"My name is Tasha Ozera, and I think it's about time we meet, Rose. Don't you?"

XxxXxxxX

Nate broke up with me. He hadn't said why and after evading all my questions he left. I sat on my bed and stared at the wall. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.

A knock on my door sends a flash of hope through me. Maybe Nate had come back to his senses.

"Adrian."

The surprise must be evident of my face because he smiles wryly. "Sage."

His hair looked mused and tousled the way he liked and he was wearing his trademark smirk but there was pain lurking in his eyes, which are noticeably bloodshot.

"Are you drunk?"

His answering sigh is enough for me to know I was right. "You're like a mind reader, Sage. You should do a show. Make some cash while you're at it, you know?"

I don't laugh or roll my eyes. Adrian has always been my best friend but since college we went our own ways. I couldn't remember the last time he was in my room. "Come on," I open the door all the way for him.

"I saw Nate leave," he says and falls onto my bed.

I pull a chair forward and sit beside him.

I swallow. "We broke up."

"Oh," Adrian says, stunned. "Shit. Are you okay?"

I shrug like I am but we both know otherwise. "I'm fine, Adrian."

"You deserve better."

He closes his eyes and for a second I think he fell asleep. But then his eyes open and focus on mine with startling clarity. His eyes are bloodshot but the greens are still bright, still containing a spark of life.

"You deserve to be with somebody who makes you happy," he says softly, "Somebody who won't complicate your life. Somebody who won't hurt you."

Adrian's words elicit mixed reactions in me. Surprise and a subtle ache in my chest and stomach. Seeing him like this, in his most vulnerable only drove the extent of that pain deeper. "You seem pretty coherent for a drunk guy."

He laughs, "I'm always coherent Sage."

I smile in spite of everything. "Forgive me if I have trouble believing that."

We stare at each other, the silence heavy between us. The smile on my face fades. "What happened, Adrian?"

He exhales a low breath. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

He draws his hair away from his face and says, "My dad happened, Sage."

"Why do you always let him get the best of you?"

"Because maybe he's right," Adrian admits, "Maybe he's been right about everything. The only reason graduated high school was because he payed off the Dean. I'm nothing."

"No," I say fiercely. "He's not right. And neither are you for that matter. You're one of the strongest people I know. You're smart and brave. I've seen you risk your life to prove it. You're not nothing Adrian. You have so much, so much good inside you. I'm sorry you're dad can't see that," I take a breath. "You just have to be patient."

"You really believe that," he says, "Don't you?"

I don't hesitate. "Yes, and you should to."

"Nate's an idiot."

I breath a laugh. The alcohol muddled his brain more than I thought.

"You going to be okay?"

"You mind if I crash here tonight?"

"No. I'll take the guest room tonight. You can stay here."

For some reason he looks disappointed. "You know there's enough room here for the both of us."

I roll my eyes. "Goodnight, Adrian."

"Sage?"

There's a strange note in his voice I can't really make sense of. I turn around.

"You look good," he clears his throat. "I mean, you always look good. But you look even better with your hair down."

I feel a rush of embarrassment. The things alcohol make us see. "Thanks," I say anyways. "Night, Adrian."

"Night, Sage."

I stop at the door and peek a glance back at him. He's already asleep.

I sigh and close the door behind me. I walk past Zoey's room and feel a twinge of disappointment. She was gone a lot lately with her fiancé. It seemed like I was losing everyone lately.

I picked up keys and decided a drive might do me some good. I could already feel the wind in my hair. Unbidden, I remember Adrian's words about my hair looking nice and feel a strange blossom of warmth in my chest.

I opened the front door.

A girl with dark hair is standing at the porch with her back to me.

My eyes widen. "Roza?"

She turns around, and forces a smile. "It's Rose," she corrects softly. "Hi Sydney."

XxxxXxxxX

Oh, I did go there. ;) Review.