I have no idea where Hex went, he's been gone for hours at this point. Mum had come home two hours ago. I asked on the off chance if Hex had contacted her, to which she said no. Well, first she looked at me strangely because Hex had never texted or called her before even though he does have her number.
I told her about Harley looking for a hospice for Wyonna and explained that that's why Hex took off. She was upset, she had never met Wyonna besides when I was a little girl but she shed a few tears for her, for Hex and for Harley.
I have been in constant contact with Harley since Hex left the apartment. She hadn't heard from him either and has no idea where he could have possibly gone. I'm sick to my stomach with worry and I pray to god that he controls his anger.
The sky is darkening outside as the moon comes out from hiding. It's a half moon tonight, identical to the one branded onto the chests of Hex and I, the thing that bonds us together. The later it gets, the more I'm convinced the police will call instead of Hex.
"Heard anything?" Mum sticks her head into the lounge room as I sit in the dark on the couch, only the light from the kitchen is illuminating me. I shake my head no as I once again check my phone. Mum clicks her tongue "he'll be okay, honey" she gives me a tight lipped smile and I struggle to give her one back. She doesn't understand that I'm worried about more than just his actions. I'm worried for his safety.
Mum sets a plate of dinner down in front of me on the coffee table but I can't eat it and eventually it goes cold.
9 o'clock rolls around and then it's 10pm and he's still not home. I contemplate contacting Charlie just so he knows what's happening but I decide to wait until the morning and if Hex still isn't home by then, then I'll call Charlie.
I head to bed at 12am with a heavy heart. I fall asleep on Hex's side of the bed, leaving the bedroom door open in hopes that Hex will come home during the night and close it behind him.
*
A loud noise wakes me and with a glance at my phone I see its 3am in the morning. I relax completely, my jaw unclenching and my shoulders dropping knowing that Hex is now safe and home.
I hear him lock the front door and then walk down the hallway in the direction of the bedroom. My eyebrows frown when I hear him knock into the wall. His footsteps become silent when he enters the bedroom and walks on the soft carpet. He closes the bedroom door behind him with a click.
I have my back to him, I don't know if he thinks I'm asleep or not but I'm too tired to have such a serious conversation at this time in the morning.
The bed shakes as he sits on the edge and I hear him pulling off his boots, throwing them with a dull thud in the corner. He lies down, scooting up until his chest is to my back.
"Baby" He rasps, his breath fanning over my cheek.
He doesn't sound sad, he does sound extremely tired though.
He nuzzles his face into the back of my neck and wraps an arm tightly around my waist pulling me further into him.
"Fuck, I love you" he slurs. Sending another wave of his breath over me and I instantly sit up and look over my shoulder at him.
"What the fuck?" I whisper as I watch Hex turn onto his back and use both hands to wipe at his eyes before they flop down by his sides lazily. At some point he had lost his shirt but had remained in his track pants.
"Poppy" he groans and reaches for me but I move further to the other side of the bed and out of his reach.
"What the fuck" I repeat louder and reach over to turn the lamp on the bedside table on.
Hex instantly covers his eyes at the brightness and I have to squint to see him. His hair is a mess atop his head and when he pulls his hands from his face his eyes are rimmed red and his cheeks are washed out.
"Turn it off" he groans and tries to reach over me for the light but I fight his hands off and he retreats.
"Have you been drinking?" I whisper loudly. The cold air of the bedroom chills me as I hold the blanket to my chest but Hex doesn't seem bothered as his naked torso is on display.
The question sobers him up a little as he replies "yeah" his voice rasping as he shrugs.
The sadness and worry that had consumed me earlier is gone and replaced with anger and I know Hex can feel it in the air between us.
"Are you fucking serious?" I say loudly, selfishly not caring if mum can hear.
What would have happened if I had called Charlie and Hex had come home in this state? We would've been back to square one and back in court for another parole violation. He told me I'd never have to go through that again, he promised.
I throw the blanket off myself, revealing my naked legs and ignore Hex's gaze as they crawl up and down them. I slide out of the bed and away from him.
"Oh baby, c'mon" he drags out the last word and rests his forearm over his eyes.
I can smell it now; I don't know how I couldn't before. The putrid alcohol smell that clings to him, it's strong enough to almost make me gag.
"Get out" the blanket had only been resting at his side but I pull it away anyway, not wanting the smell to cling to it.
"What?" He looks at me, his eyes doing their best to focus on me but failing.
"Get out of the bed, Hex" I demand and place my hands on my hips, his eyes follow.
"You're so fucking hot when you're mad" he murmurs and I watch as his eyes fall shut, it makes me angrier that he's not taking this seriously.
"Hex!" I hiss between my teeth. His eyes shoot open like I startled him.
"Okay, okay" he pushes himself up to sit on the side of the bed. He's slow-moving and lazy and he keeps rubbing his face in an attempt to stay awake.
I give him a minute to gather himself as I walk into the bathroom, flicking the light on and getting a towel for him.
I walk back into the bedroom, only to find the room empty. I rub my forehead in frustration when I hear him knock into the hallway wall again. I look over and the bedroom door is wide open.
"Where are you going?" I whisper down the hallway, only being able to see his silhouette in the dark. He turns around to face me, leaning on the wall. I take note that he's got his pillow.
"The couch" he answers loudly.
"Shh" I say and lift a finger to my mouth. "Get in the shower, Hex" I say and move out of the doorway so that he can walk through it. I shut the door behind him.
He walks into the bathroom and begins to strip from his pants, he has to grab onto the basin to balance as he pulls his pants over his feet. I start the shower, getting it the perfect temperature for him.
He's standing naked when I turn around and I ignore the fact that he's hard.
I wave a hand at the shower and watch as he enters. I watch as his back relaxes under the heat and he leans his head back. He stumbles a step and I jolt ready to grab him but he steadys himself.
I lift myself onto the basin and take a seat, my back against the mirror behind me as I watch him closely. He's too intoxicated to be left alone at the moment; the last thing that needs to happen tonight is a hospital visit because he fell over and hit his head.
He doesn't rush and by the time he's finished my eyes are drooping and struggling to stay open. It's got to be well past 4am by now.
The sound of the water being turned off alerts me as Hex steps out of the shower, his hair dripping everywhere.
He's sobered up almost completely but his eyes are still unfocused and tired looking.
I watch as he dries himself and shakes out his hair.
He catches my eye and wraps the towel around his waist. I watch as he takes the few steps separating us and he fills the space between my legs.
His head finds my chest as he rests his weight on his hands that are by my sides on the basin.
"Where did you go?" I ask quietly as I run my hand through his damp hair. He grunts and doesn't answer me.
"Hex" I push for an answer as I sit up straight. He pushes further into me to stop me from going anywhere.
He's being soft now and I know he's trying to suck up to me.
"Therapy" he answers and kisses my collar bone. I freeze before pulling his head up to make eye contact with him to see if he's serious. He is.
"Therapy?" He nods.
The remaining anger that I was holding on to disappears. He had gone to therapy, undoubtedly the best place he could have gone while in that state of mind. But there was no way his therapy session lasted almost twelve hours and I doubt they supply alcohol.
"Where else?" I ask and calmly run my hand up and down his back, my nails scratching him.
"The bar" he mumbles against my skin. I have a brief moment of panic, worried that he had gone to Darby's but he's not stupid enough to do that.
We sit in silence and I can feel Hex falling asleep as he leans more of his weight on me. I let him for a few moments but pat his back to have him stand up when he gets too comfortable.
"Get dressed" I say quietly and he steps back, allowing me to jump down from the basin.
He follows me into the bedroom and watches as I remake the bed, giving the blanket a quick sniff and confirming that Hex hadn't transferred the alcohol smell to it.
"I don't have to sleep on the couch?" He sounds like a child as he asks and it makes me feel guilty that he had thought I was going to put him on the couch.
"No Hex" I say and get into my side of the bed. He disappears into the closet for a moment, coming back with only underwear on. The room is cold but he must still be unable to feel it in his state of mind.
He turns the bathroom light off before sliding into bed next to me. I face him and rest on his left arm as he lies on his back.
"You better hope Charlie doesn't show up tomorrow" I whisper in the dark. He chuckles in his chest, making us both move in motion with it.
"He won't" he reassures me. I'm not as sure as he is but there's nothing either of us can do if he does.