Page 47 of Talk About… Dramay
We stayed there, holding each other and settling into the warm buzz of our connection, until the water ran cold.
Roman turned off the water and led me out, drying me carefully before pulling me into the room. He even picked out pajamas, helping me into them with a soft look on his face.
Tears burned behind my eyes. This was such a gentle, simple thing and I wasn’t sure I ever felt quite so precious and cared for.
“Stay with me? I don’t want to sleep alone,” I whispered, afraid to speak louder and break the peace of our moment.
“You don’t have to ever sleep alone again,” he promised. “Let me go get fresh clothes.”
He was currently just wearing a towel. I almost argued but in the end watched as he walked away. My gaze finally fell to my discarded bag, the envelope still on top.
Curiosity finally won out and I walked over and picked it up before going back to my bed. I started to sit, then froze. Instead, I took my blanket and pillow and headed for the nest.
Pushing open the door, I wrinkled my nose at the empty white space. It was cushioned, clean and comfortable, and devoid of any scents.
Creating a cocoon around me with the blanket, I finally settled in and opened the envelope.
My pulse thundered in my ears as I read the first line, realizing this wasn’t Mama Whitaker, but Cameron.
Dear Oriana,
I’ve written to you so many times over the years, and someday I’ll share those with you. This, however, will be the first one you’ll read.
I could sit here and apologize, and make excuses for what happened. Sure, I was young and grieving the loss of my dads, but that didn’t mean I had any right to do what I did to you.
I’ll never not be sorry for that. However, I can’t go back now.
I regretted what I said the moment those words fell from my lips. Hated myself for it and even tried to come after you that next day.
You were already gone and your dads barely let me leave with my life. I tried to contact you again and again as I spiraled, but I was already blocked. No one would give me your number and at some point, I had to realize that I’d just pushedaway the one person in my life who I should have relied on, trusted, and cherished.
The truth is, Ori, that I never stopped loving you. Every day you were who I thought about, wondering what you had been up to, wondering if you’d changed.
Rather… if I changed you.
Were you still the same sweet, soft omega that I loved?
Even worse was the crushing fear that you were out there in the world, unprotected and vulnerable, and it was all my fault.
He was telling me everything I craved to hear all those years ago. That he regretted it, that he was trying to chase after me.
A sob escaped as I realized if I hadn’t blocked him and shut him out, we might not be here after thirteen years, the distance between us such a vast canyon I wasn’t sure if we’d ever make it back to each other.
“Ori, Princess, what’s wrong?” Lane asked. His voice was careful and I glanced up, the sight of him, knowing he wasn’t mine either, just broke the damn.
When another sob broke free he dropped down next to me and pulled me into his lap. I wrapped myself around him, holding on as I broke down.
Tea and honey teased my senses. Roman didn’t argue as he settled next to us, his hand finding mine and holding me close.
“Stormy, what happened?” he asked after my sobs turned to small, shaky hiccups.
“The letter… it was from him.”
Lane cursed under his breath. “Fucking asshole.”
“It wasn’t bad, I didn’t even finish yet,” I admitted. My mouth opened to explain more but I couldn’t make sense of it all.
The facts were that Cam knew I was back and he was trying to get my attention. He wasn’t hiding or gaslighting me, he was taking responsibility.