Chapter 16
The city had fallen into a deep silence as night blanketed everything, its usual hum replaced by an eerie stillness.
Virgil stepped out of Sunridge, heading straight to his car. The moment he slid into the driver’s seat and shut the door, he was hit with a suffocating wave of heat.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, he rolled down the window and tugged at his collar, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt. Still, the muggy air didn’t do much to cool him down.
His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, agitation bubbling under the surface, when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and immediately answered. “Mom.
“Virgil, are you still working! Have you eaten anything?” his mother’s familiar voice came through, tinged with concern
He stared out at the dark night, his tone soft. “Yeah, I ate. I’m on my way home.
to Moira
There was a slight pause before Page asked, “Have you talked to
Tve been swamped, Virgil replied, his voice flat
“Well, you can’t stay busy forever,” Page shot back, her tone sharp. “Moira’s a knockout. If you keep leaving her hanging, don’t you think someone else might sweep her off her feet?”
Virgil pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll give her a call when things calm down, alright?”
Page sighed, the sound carrying her mix of frustration and worry. “Virgil, you’re twenty–eight. Most guys your age around here already have kids starting school. You can’t just bury yourself in work and let life pass you by.
“Moira’s a great girl–smart, beautiful, and patient as hell. If you’re serious about her, maybe it’s time to put a ring on it. It’d make me sleep better al Might
“Til see her tomorrow.” Virgil promised, hoping to end the conversation.
The sigh of relief on the other end was almost audible. “Alright, then. I’ll hold you to it.” Page said, her tone softening before she haing upi
Moira had probably overdone it with the oranges earlier. Now, she found herself shuffling to the bathroom again.
Sull feeling parched, she grabbed her glass and headed to the kitchen for some water. But as she passed the living room, she froze in her tracks.
Virgil. He was back
He lay sprawled out on the couch, eyes closed, head tilted back. Even though her door had creaked loudly earlier, he hadn’t stirred. Is he asleep? she wondered.
Setting her glass on the counter, Moira quietly went to his room to grab a blanket. Returning, she draped it gently over him, Just as leave, though, something caught her attention. His breathing–it was uneven, labored.
the
turned to
A faint but sharp whiff of alcohol hit her, and she noticed how his breaths alternated between shallow gasps and quick pants. Worry prickled at her as she crouched down beside him, whispering. “Mr. Adams? Are you okay?”
No response
Biting her lip, she hesitated before reaching out to press a hand to his forehead. It was blazing hot like he was running a fever.
Her touch, cool and light, seemed to offer him some relief. A low groan escaped his lips, breaking the silence and making Moira jump. She jerked her hand back like she’d touched a live wire, her face turning bright red.
Heart pounding, she took a couple of steps back, suddenly hyper–aware of how close she’d been.
Virgil finally stirred, his eyes opening slowly as he sat up, hit movements sluggish. His voice came out rough, barely above a rasp. “What’s going
Moira leaned in, her brows knitted with concern. “Your forehead’s burning up. I think you’ve got a fever. Should we head to the hospital?”
m fine.” he said curtly, shoving the blanket aside and attempting to stand.
*No need. I’m
But the moment he got to his feet, his legs wobbled. Before he could fall, Moira darted forward, steadying him with both hands. “You’re clearly not Sne” You need to see a doctor–better safe than sorry”
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Chapter 16
Virgil didn’t answer right away. His eyes drifted down, and Moira followed his gaze. Suddenly, realization hit her like a freight train.
Her face turned a deep shade of red, and she let go of him like he was on fire, instinctively crossing her arms over her chest as she took a few hurried steps back.
Virgil seemed unfazed, his voice still raspy. “Don’t worry about me. Go back to bed”
Without
waiting for a reply, he turned and trudged toward the master bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.
After a cold shower, Virgil felt a linte better physically, but his mind was another story, Every time he closed his eyes, flashes of Moira filled h@Chead
her scent, her touch, the softness of her skin. It was maddening.
He snapped his eyes open, frustration tightening his jaw. Something wasn’t right. His body wasn’t reacting the way it shamudd
He grabbed his phone, dialing his best friend, Howard Marrow’s number without hesitation.
The momein Howard answered, Virgil’s voice call through sharply. “What the hell did you put i
drink tonight?”
Howard sounded genuinely confused. “What are you talking about? Did someone spike your drink?
Virgil gritted his teeth, trying to push through the haze clouding his thoughts. “I don’t know, but something’s not right”
“That’s impossible. We were all drinking the same thing. There’s no way-“Howard’s voice suddenly trailed off, a pause heavy with realization,
Virgil, already piering it together, filled in the silence. “It was Lily. She handed me that drink
Lily Marrow–Howard’s younger sister, always lurking around their group. It was no secret she had an unshakabile crush on Conrad Morton, bur Howard hadn’t pegged her as the type to pull a stunt like this.
Howard groaned as the pieces clicked for bun, too. “No wonder she was all over the place tonight, playing the perfect hostess. She practically.
begged you to crash at Sunridge.”
His voice wavered between frustration and reluctant sympathy. “She’s got it bad man. I’m not saying what she did was right—hell, it’s insane=” maybe cut her some slack?
“You’ve got no one else, and she’s into you. It’s not like she’s a stranger. Who knows? Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Being my. brother–in–Law wouldn’t kill you.”
it weren’t for you, she’d have already learned her lesson the hand
Virgil’s tone turned ice–cold, slicing through Howard’s halfhearted defense. That wer way
Howard could tell from Virgil’s tone that he was seriously pissed this time. There wasn’t even a hint of patiener felt in his voice, and one thing was clear–Virgil had zero interest in Lily. Not now, Hot ever.
Howard let out a long sigh. “Alright, I’ll handle it. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”
“That’s not good enough. Virgil snapped. “Is there an antidote?
Howard gave a dry laugh. Tl ask her. There was a brief silence before Howard’s tone shifted, turning light and teasing. “Or maybe I should just find you a woman instead. You’ve been living like a saint for way too long
“You’re twenty–right, man. If you keep ignoring your needs, you’re gonna end up in worse shape than this.
Virgil’s temper boiled over. “Howard, do you have a death wish?”
The line went dead with the sharp snap of a hang–up.
Virgil sat back, rubbing his temples in frustration. He didn’t have time for this nonsense. A minute later, though, his phone buzzed again.
“Relax,” Howard said, his tone far too casual. “Lily says she didn’t put much in–just a linle kick, nothing that’ll mess with your system. shower should handle it, or, you know other methods.
A cold
“Seriously, though. Just find a girl and call it a night. That’s the real fix. You like ‘em curvy or slim! Soft and sweet, or maybe someone a little more Gery? I’ve got connections-
Before Howard could finish his sentence, Virgil had already ended the call.
Back in her room,
23
Moira’s face was still burning up, her mind replaying the awkward moment from earlier. The accidental brush with Virgil had
Chapter 16
left ser mortified
To make matters worse, she hadn’t been wearing a bra under her pajamas–a lazy habit she’d picked up since he was rarely around. But of all nights. for him to come home!
“What if he thinks I did that on purpose? The thought made her cringe, and she groaned softly, burying her face in her hands.
She rolled over in bed, pulling the blanket tighter around her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t push away the worry. It wasn’t just the embarrassment–his fever had her concerned, too.
Finally, she gave up on sleep, threw on a bra for good measure, and grabbed some fever medicine along with a glass of water. Standing outside his door, she hesitated for a moment before knocking softly.
No answer
She frowned, trying again, a little louder this time. Still no answer.
Moira’s concern deepened. What if something’s wrong? Without thinking, she grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and pushed the door open. “Mr. Adams, I brought you some lever medici—”
The rest of her words caught in her throat, her voice suddenly gone
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