Then the doorbell rang. Without even realizing what I was doing, I dashed out to answer it and nearly cried when I found Royce standing there. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes red-rimmed and puffy. The smell of whiskey on his rumpled shirt was intense, but I didn’t hesitate when he stepped forward and grabbed me in a hug so tight it nearly cracked my ribs. “Can I sleep with you tonight, roomie?” he mumbled into my hair, lifting me off the ground with the intensity of his hug. “I don’t like being alone.” My heart cracked right the fuck open. “I don’t like being alone, either.”
