Page 117 of Tempest’s Torment

That one fucking gets me. I close my eyes and hold her tighter. "I'll always find you."

Her arms go around my neck, and I shift us both down to the floor because I don't trust her legs, and I don't want her trying to use them. She ends up half in my lap, still clutching my cut. I don't give a fuck who's watching. I kiss her hair, her forehead, the side of her face that isn't bruised, anywhere I can reach without hurting her.

"I'm sorry."

Her head comes up. "What?" she sniffles.

"I left you there."

Her expression changes immediately. "Kai⁠—"

"I should've been there."

"No."

"I told you I'd keep you safe and I fucking left you."

"For less than an hour."

"Long enough."

She grabs my face with both hands; it hurts her. I see it in the way she winces when she lifts her arm, but she doesn't let go. "Look at me."

I do.

"You came back."

"Not fast enough."

"You found me." My throat closes, and she presses her forehead carefully against mine. "You found me, Kai."

I can't answer her, not without fucking losing it. So I put my arms around her again and hold her while the room carries on behind us. I don't give a fuck. Whatever Ghost and the brothers are doing with Evan can wait. For the first time since I realized she was gone, I have Lilah back in my arms, and I'm not fucking letting her go.

She's calming down. The sobs aren't tearing through her anymore, but every now and then another one catches her and her fingers tighten in my cut.

I keep one arm around her and use my other hand to check what I can without moving her too much. There's dried blood in her hair near her temple, and when my fingers move carefully over the back of her head, she doesn't flinch. Her shoulder is different. The second I touch it, she tenses.

"That hurt?"

"A little."

I look down at her. "We've already established your version of a little is bullshit."

A small laugh escapes her. Fuck, that sound. I press my mouth to her hair and hold it there for a second.

Behind us, my brother talk, and I hear boots move across the room, but nobody comes near us.

Lilah lifts her head. "Is it over?"

I look at her. There's fear behind the question, and I realize she isn't asking whether we're done in this house, she's asking if Evan can ever come for her again.

I glance over my shoulder for the first time, and Ghost catches my eye, giving me one nod, but that's all I need.

I turn back to her. "Yeah, baby. It's over." Her eyes close and her whole body seems to sag against mine. "He's not coming after you again."

"Okay."

I pull her closer, and she stays like that for a while, her cheek against my chest, my hand moving slowly over her hair while her breathing settles.