Olivia murmurs, “My head is not about to fall off.”
“It kind of is,” Tessa says, voice shaking again.
Hammer opens the rear door. “In.”
Tessa stares at him. “You always this bossy?”
“Yeah.”
Mia gives a watery laugh, too nervous to be real.
Hammer’s gaze flicks to her, softening by half a degree. “You’re safe. Both of you.”
Tessa swallows, then nods once and helps Mia toward the SUV. Before she gets in, she turns back to Olivia. “Text me as soon as you can.”
“I will.”
Tessa’s eyes find mine. “Take care of her.”
I hold her stare. “Always.”
She studies me for half a second.Then gets in.
Hammer shuts the door, rounds the SUV, and pauses near me. “You good?”
“No.”
His jaw shifts. He nods. Then leaves it alone and gets behind the wheel.
Smart.
Joker opens the back door of the second SUV.
I don’t set Olivia down until I’m inside with her. Even then, I keep her across my lap, one arm behind her back, the other braced along her legs. She doesn’t argue. That tells me enough about how bad she feels.
Joker slides into the driver’s seat. He doesn’t pull out immediately. He looks at us in the rearview mirror. “This feel familiar?”
Olivia’s brow furrows. “What?”
His gaze flicks to her, then back to the windshield. “I drove you that first night.”
Her body stills against me. I feel the memory hit her. Not fully. Not clear. But enough.
She looks up at me. “You didn’t?”
“No.” I keep my voice flat. I don’t say I never let go of her. I don’t say I held her the whole way back, her breathing shallow against my chest, her folder on in my cut, my hands locked around her because putting her down felt impossible.
Joker says it anyway. “He wouldn’t let anyone touch you.”
Olivia’s eyes stay on mine. Something moves through them. Too much. Too soft. Too dangerous.
“Joker,” I say.
His mouth curves slightly. “What? I’m being comforting.”
“You’re shit at it.”
“Been told that.” He pulls away from the curb.
