Damaged: The Dillon Sisters by Layla Frost (young adult books to read TXT) 📗

need to relax. Sleep better. Give yourself a break. It’s important you listen to your body and treat your mental health with the same priority as your physical.”

Basically, untie the knots and unwrap the thorny vines and stop trying to carry the world on my shoulders.

Taking out a small pad, he wrote down how much iron my vitamin needed to contain and handed it to me. “Increasing your iron should also help. If you’re having trouble making the adjustments, reach out to your PCP. Don’t push it off. The same goes for contacting me. It’s better to repeat tests and be safe than to wait and be sorry.”

“I will, thanks.”

When Alexander and I got outside, I grabbed his hand to stop him.

“What’s wrong?”

I breathed deep. It was the deepest breath I’d taken in a long time. And then I grinned. “Absolutely nothing.”

“So damn happy, flower.” He tipped my chin up. “What do you want to do to celebrate?”

I thought for a moment before answering. “Take a nap. Doctor’s orders.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Surreal

Briar

For business cards

“I’D LIKE TO give meds another try.”

Once again, I managed to surprise Dr. Linda and make her bland mask of professionalism slip. “What brought this on?”

I almost ruined the best thing I’ve ever had because my brain is an asshole.

“I think it’s time?”

Her lips tipped. “Is that a question?”

“No?”

She tapped her handy-dandy notebook. “Let’s go at this from the other direction. Why are you apprehensive?”

“I should be stronger. Like, all I need is to go for a hike, be one with nature, snort lavender essential oils. I should be able to overpower my depression and anxiety through sheer willpower and stubbornness. By taking meds, it’s like I’m admitting I’m weak.”

“Would you tell someone with diabetes they should smile away their disease instead of taking insulin?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“Do I like the person?”

“Briar,” she chided.

Alexander would’ve laughed.

“Your brain is like any other organ in your body. It’s susceptible to injuries and illnesses, both physical and invisible.” She skewered me with a look and told me exactly what I needed to hear. “You wouldn’t be taking drugs for the high, the stupor, or because it’s the easy thing to do. You’d be taking them to help your brain function as it’s,” she did finger quotes, “supposed to. To correct an imbalance the same way someone with diabetes would need medication to correct their levels. You’re not giving yourself an edge, you’re simply leveling the playing field.”

“I know that. Logically, I get it. But since my brain is the one doing the thinking, and my brain is messed up.” I twirled my hand. “You can see how that muddles my thought process.”

“But you’re willing to try again.”

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. “I trust you. I know you’ll listen to how I’m feeling and won’t overmedicate me.”

“I’m glad you trust me because you’re right, I wouldn’t.”

“So, I’m ready to try again because…” I hesitated before saying something that, while true, was so surreal it almost felt like a lie on my tongue. “Because I’m in control.”

Alexander

“FUUUUUCK,” I GROANED.

“I’m already doing that,” Briar teased as she rode my dick in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Seattle.

Since we were near the top of the high rise—and the window was heavily tinted—no one could see. I’d never let anyone see what’s mine.

But that didn’t stop her from getting off on the risk.

When I’d planned on bringing Briar to the office with me, I’d known it was a win-win. I’d get to spend time with her in between consultations and working on the development of a new interface for a rideshare app. And she wouldn’t fall asleep without me.

While she was awake, Briar was happier. Sure, she still had shadows in her eyes. She still got anxious and depressed. She’d still asked me to cut her once after a rough group therapy session—and once for depraved fun. But in the week since finding out she was still cancer free, she was happy and snarky and beautifully fucked up.

Exactly as I loved her.

When she slept alone, though, was a different story.

If the ghosts who haunted her nightmares weren’t already dead, I’d kill them myself.

As Briar dropped her head back and fucked me so hard, my desk chair rocked, I realized I’d been wrong.

It wasn’t a win-win.

It was a win-win-fucking-win.

Working her clit with one hand, I wrapped the other around her throat, squeezing just a little. Just enough to make her movements frantic.

Nothing in my life was as potent as the power I had over her body. And nothing was more satisying than when I played with her just right, making her pussy squeeze me like a vise without her having to work for it.

When she was too lost to keep the rhythm she needed, I released her throat to grip her hips and shift her up my cock before slamming her back down. I lifted to meet her, putting even more power and force in my thrusts until I couldn’t hold back my own orgasm.

“Can I come to work with you all the time?” she asked once we caught our breath.

“God, yes.”

“Can I wear a suit and everything?”

“I don’t, but go for it.”

“Can I have a desk and a phone with a ridiculous amount of buttons?”

“Will you answer it?” I was very aware of her hatred of talking on the phone.

“I will not.”

“Fair enough.”

“Can I have business cards for the phone calls I will not answer?”

“You got it.”

“Awesome.”

At least that’s what I thought she’d said. It was hard to tell because her face was against my chest and her body was practically melted into mine.

Happy.

Relaxed.

Alive.

She barely trusted anyone.

But she trusted me.

She barely loved anyone.

But she loved me.

I held a beautiful, fragile flower in the palm of my hand.

And I hoped like hell I didn’t damage her worst of all.

Chapter Thirty

Final

Briar

For the cat cave, loyal citizen

MAYBE I COULD get a dog.

Or a cat.

Oh, maybe I could get pigeons.

I watched Aria and Muppet drive away. I’d offered to drop him off after work, but she’d turned