Asch wraps an arm around my waist, urging me to follow.
Blaze leads the way, using his phone as a flashlight for us.
“Thanks,” I say quietly as we climb. “I know I got us all into worse shit. But thanks.”
“I’m starting to think you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t get everyone into trouble,” Asch says, but he squeezes me lightly. “We’ll… figure it out.”
“I wasn’t even trying to burn the world down around me this time,” I say with a giggle.
I suspect I’ll need to burn somebody’s world in the near future though.
Ezio is still alive, after all.
34
PANDORA
“We’ll be down the hall,” I tell Samantha.
She fidgets nervously, her hand clutching the door to River’s bedroom. “Are you sure it’s safe here?” she asks, and her voice is more fragile than I think I’ve ever heard it.
It doesn’t sound likeher.
“Safer than anywhere else,” I say confidently. “I mean, I could drive you to my parents’ house? But that’s two hours away.”
I don’t really want to see my parents right now. They’ll ask why I’m bruised up, what the hell happened, why I didn’t call them… ugh.
But if it keeps Samantha safe, I’ll do it.
“Your parents? The ones who run the sleazy strip clubs?” she replies. “How are they supposed to help ifthosepeople come after me?”
I grin widely. “Well, if you’re withtheirsleazy strip club, nobody would…” I trail off when Samantha pales. “Sorry. Bad joke. No, my parents have great security because of their business. And my mom would take good care of you. Or I could call my aunt in Benton?—”
“No!” she says. “I don’t—” She pauses, then takes a deep breath. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, I really do, but I don’t think the solution to all of this is for you to foist me off on your family.”
“I’d suggest witness protection, but then they’d probably want you to testify, and who knows how long that is…” I shake my head. “We’ll figure it out in the morning, okay? For now, get some rest.”
“Rest,” she repeats with a quiet, derisive huff that sounds much more familiar. “Fine.” She marches into the room and closes the door behind her.
I take a moment to steady myself, too.
I have no idea how I’m going to keep her safe. I’m not delusional enough to think nobody is going to come after her. Daddy would have ideas, but I still don’t want to draw the Bouchards down on all of us.
And I definitely don’t want anyone but me to kill Ezio.
He didn’t even care about Samantha. None of it mattered as long as he could get his revenge on me and my family.
I walk down the hall and to the primary bedroom, the same room Asch and I had used when we’d tied Blaze down.
Every step feels heavier than the last, and I wonder if my bones are shattered and collecting in my feet.
Not literally, duh. I think if I was completely boneless, I’d be flopping around in a gruesome mess, not walking relatively bloodless.
Blaze is sitting on the bed, with Asch on the desk chair and River standing near the door.
“She’s all tucked in for the night,” I say with a smile.
River nods, and he pulls me into his arms. “Time to tuckyouin for the night,” he murmurs, his lips ghosting over my ear. He nudges me so my back is pressed against the wall, boxing me in.
