Page 138 of Jig's Last Dance

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“Sunshine! Sunshine!”

The violent urge to choke brings me back to the world, and with a groan, I turn to my side, spewing water from my burning lungs.

“Fuck. Thank God.”

Jig’s husky tone inspires me to open an eye, and with a frown, I stare into his brilliant blue gaze. “Jig?” I rasp, my eyes watering at the effort.

“Yeah, baby,” he says softly, and I sigh. I missed him, I—

“Where?” I swallow but it does nothing to ease the razor-sharp ache. “Where am I?” I ask, pushing my wet hair from my forehead.

Why am I wet?

“You’re okay now,” he says, stroking my cheek.

I smile tremulously and lean into his hand. It hurts to breathe, much less talk, but I need him to know. “I dreamt of you.”

His pretty lips pull into a smirk. “Oh, yeah?”

Nodding, I swallow with a wince and clutch my throat. “What happened? Wait, Ben—”

It all comes rushing back to me, and I struggle to sit up, my achy limbs not cooperating.

“Sh, it’s okay. He’s okay,” Jig says, pulling me into his arms.

“H-he, he is?” I rasp and Jig nods.

Thank fuck.

Sagging against him, I close my eyes. I could have died. I almost did die, and I never told Jig how I feel.

Clawing at his shirt, all the words I should have said bubble on my tongue. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” he interjects.

I look up at his fierce tone and touch his cheek. How could I contemplate walking away from this?

“I love you,” I whisper, and his brilliant eyes brighten.

Exhaling heavily, he presses his lips to mine. “I love you too, Alice.”

My heart expands and I close my eyes. Thank god, I’m alive.

“Sal…” I whisper and Jig shushes me, saying, “He’s gone.”

Thank fuck.

When Jig carries me to his vehicle, I spy Bastion standing nearby. He’s gazing at the front of the house with a forbidding frown. Is he thinking about his father?

Jig lays me in the backseat, and I grab his hand before he can close the door. “Ben?”

Kissing my fingers, he says quietly, “He’s okay. He doesn’t want to come with us though. Bastion will take him wherever he wants to go.”

Dropping my head, I close my eyes. I want to see him but it would seem he’s still putting distance between us. I can only hope with time, we can come back to the siblings we once were.

Of course, I still have to explain what I did to our dad, and he’s got some shit to confess too.