Lost in a Reverie 18+ Only (Book 1 of Lastor Series) ['23/'24 EDIT]

Chapter 7

I couldn't sleep last night and so I spent the late hours cleaning the apartment, did the laundry, and even washed all the cars in the underground garage of the building to both distract and exhaust myself. It didn't work.

My demons were too restless, growing chaotic due to the lack of poison in my system and ransacking my fucking mind with no end. Jude had woken up early for his usual morning run and made breakfast when he got back. Neither of us spoke and I didn't acknowledge the fact that his knuckles were bruised while he pretended that he didn't hear me crying in the shower.

It was like every other day. A day full of pretension.

"Eat, Angel," he said when all I did was stare at the food he'd placed in front of me.

"The last time you said that I ended up vomiting blood, so I think I'll settle with coffee," I retorted, taking a sip of coffee, relishing in its heat as it made its way down to my empty stomach.

"You do know coffee with an empty stomach causes ulcer, right?"

I rolled my eyes at him and took a jab at the pancakes. I took a deep breath and put a slice of pancake in my mouth, chewing it slowly and chasing it with the coffee. I clutched the side of my stomach, wincing as the food slowly made its way through my digestive system.

"See, you already have ulcer," he said while he finished his plate. "Don't eat any more of that if it hurts. I'll make you some oatmeal instead," he said as he stood and walked towards the fridge.

He inspected it for a second before taking out the oatmeal and put it in a pan with fresh milk.

"Listen," he began while stirring the oatmeal around with a wooden spoon. "I can't take you to the hospital, I have a presentation and I can't miss it." I grinned and mentally did a backflip. "But Frederick works at the hospital and said he'll escort you for the tests."

I frowned at that. What?

He turned around to face me. "You have to take this seriously, Gel. No more pushing off. No more avoiding. We need to do this now before it's too late, okay?" he said, the concern apparent in his voice.

I turned my attention back to the pancake instead and started slicing it without the intention of eating anything.

"I'm serious. I promised you I'll always have your back, but you will have to let me help you," he said before turning back to the pan. "Now eat up and get ready. I already excused you for the day."

He took away my plate and placed the bowl of oatmeal in front of me before leaving the kitchen to answer his phone. I stared at the bowl, taking the spoon out of the sticky food. Ugh, no.

I stood, throwing the bowl in the bin before lighting up a cigarette.
* * *


I stared at the daunting building made of glass, a broad sign that said Lastor Medical Center emblazoned at the top. I wanted to burn it to the ground.

"Why can't I just go someplace else, I don't know, where no one knows my fucking name?"

"I already made the doctors examining you sign an NDA. Nothing will get out."

I sighed. "If they touch me-"

"It won't hurt, gel."

I pursed my lips, a hand coming to my abdomen where my scars were. "It will."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "You'll be okay."

I nodded, letting out a harsh breath. "Just so you know, I'm not responsible for what I'll do to them if they piss me off."

He gave me a look of disapproval. "Unless you want to go back to prison, you won't do anything but be a cooperative patient."

"Why do you always have to bring that shit up?"