Page 74 of Fallen Flame

I shrugged. “It’s Wrecker’s choice, and Basil brought it on himself.”

She tapped her finger to her chin. “I think that answers everything. I’m sure I will have other questions eventually.”

“You okay?”

She nodded quickly. “Yep.”

I didn’t believe her for a second.

I stood and walked over to the bed.

She looked up at me.

“You sure?”

Another quick nod. “I’m fi—”

She stopped, and her shoulders sagged. Her eyes drifted away from mine. “I...” The silence stretched. “I don’t know.”

There it was. I sat beside her and she stared down at her hands.

“I keep replaying it.” Her voice had gone quiet.

“If you hadn’t seen them...” She swallowed. “I would’ve been in that van.”

My chest tightened. “I know.”

“I keep thinking...” She let out a shaky laugh. “What if I’d been looking the other way? What if Ever hadn’t been with me? What if...” She shook her head. “I’ve always joked my way through everything.”

“I know.”

“But today...” Her eyes filled. “...today wasn’t funny.” The first tear slipped free before she hurriedly wiped it away. “I don’t even know why I’m crying.”

“You don’t have to explain it.”

She let out a slow breath. “I thought I was okay.”

“So did I.”

“I was.” Another pause. “And then...” She looked at me. “...I wasn’t.”

Without thinking, I opened my arms. She came to me immediately. I wrapped them around her as she tucked herself against my chest. One hand slid into her hair while the other rested between her shoulder blades and felt the tension in her body.

Every muscle was wound tight.

She wasn’t sobbing.

She wasn’t falling apart.

She was simply... letting herself feel what she’d spent the entire afternoon outrunning.

I rested my cheek against the top of her head. “I’ve got you.”

She nodded against me. “I know.”

“I won’t let anyone take you.”

Her fingers curled tighter into my shirt. “I know.”