Page 48 of H E R

I don’t understand the need, and I don’t want to take the time to question. I pull him down and he picks me up off the floor and I wrap my legs around his waist. He feels like home. I stare into the depths of his eyes and find myself in them.

I can’t let him go. I just want to swim in the dark pools that drag me deeper into a heavenly oblivion of peace. I keep my eyes open and hungrily crush my lips to his. His tongue is in my mouth and our lips move hastily, tasting one another. I press my lips into his, feeling his teeth graze my swollen and bloody cut, and I moan. Our eyes stay open, as if we’re afraid the other will disappear, or like we’ll wake up to realize this was just a fucking nightmare.

“How badly hurt are you?”

I hear a whine, and I’m instantly aware of what the beast-like sounds were. Max waits patiently behind Dylan.

I close my eyes. Our lips are still touching and I shake my head. “I’m fine.”

His jaw clenches, and he moves to walk out, still holding me against him.

I wrap my hands tighter around his neck. “What, no backup, rookie?”

A voice croaks suddenly, and Max barks in the direction of a man on his back. “Justice.”

While still holding me, Dylan reaches to the small of his back and retrieves a revolver with a silencer, and points it at the man’s head. “Don’t you fucking dare speak her name.”

His eyes roll back and he coughs. “Vork knows who you are, and he’s coming for you.”

Vork.

I touch Dylan’s arm and he looks at me, wondering why I’m stopping him.

I unwrap my other hand from around his neck and gently push off, and he places me on the ground. My bloody toes leave blotchy imprints as I walk toward the dying man. He looks at me, and Max growls while he snakes closer to him, eager to protect me. I know Dylan still has his gun pointed at his skull, and I smile while I crouch down beside him.

It’s the penguin, and I squish his face between my hand while the other flicks him on his yellowing forehead. “Here’s hoping.”

I look down at his bleeding gut; he’s got two bullet holes. I free his face and press my palm into his stomach and use him as leverage to stand.

Dylan offers his hand, and I twine my fingers with his, my hand tiny in comparison to his. He pulls me into a hug, and I bury my face in the hardness of his chest, and he shoots. “Let’s take you home, little fox.”

14

Redemption

My phone buzzes and I take it out of my pocket and place it on the mount that sits in the middle of the console. Jason is calling me, and I reach for my earbud and pop it in.

“You out?”

I clear my throat. “Yeah, burn it down.”

“Got it.” I can tell he’s smiling; Jason loves blowing shit up. “Done.”

I hang up and tuck the earbud away. I can sense Niki watching me, and after switching gears, I dare a glance. I can’t tell if she wants to punch me or kiss me again. “Something on your mind?”

“How is it you’re always there?”

“There, where?”

She sighs, exasperated. “Everywhere.”

She tucks her legs underneath her and backs away from me. Her white shirt is stained red with blood. I’m amazed there are no broken bones. Just some bad bruising. Her right brow and the corner of her lip got the worst of it—the areas are swollen and bloody. She got in a good fight before being tied down. The men only shackled her out of fear.

I breathe in a calming breath, but I know it appears rabid and unhinged. My grip tightens and I control the images flashing before me. If I allow them to take over, I’ll fucking crash. What would’ve happened if I’d gotten there just three minutes after?

I swallow and move my head sharply, cracking the bones in my neck and grip the steering wheel. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

She grimaces. “I’m not scared of you, rookie.”