Page 150 of Hostile Saint

Everything I knew about this young woman came racing back to her. Knowing who she was again, she even sounded different. “Tate, I was so scared. I was so alone.”

I kissed her sweet lips over and over as I tried to express how much I had hurt without her, and how I refused to give up. That I wanted her, no matter what that meant. No matter what she was or would be.

“More,” she begged of my lips.

Tears continued to mix with endless love that night.

She gasped, holding my face as if she would never love anyone more than how much she loved me. “The trunk. Our brothers.” She struggled to breathe. “Are you okay? Where are they?”

“Lace, I have so much to tell you. My new friends, they have helped me so much…”

I told her everything. I told her as much as I could remember, the things that she had missed while trying to find herself.

I cried, “I killed them, Lace. I’m sorry—”

Instead of judgment, instead of thinking less of me for being as cruel as the ones who tried to destroy us, Lacey Young kissed my lips and thanked me for saving her life.

I told her it was worth every fight I had to face. Having her back in my arms, as the girl I fell in love with, made it all worth it.

“Make love to me, Tate.”

Never have I experienced what happened between us that dreamlike night. Again, our bodies blended, molded… just like our hearts.

Afterward, she lay in my arms and slept.

Believing danger no longer was circling me, I felt more peace than ever before.

She slept as I got dressed.

She slept as I kissed her forehead.

She slept as I left her for the last time.

“You look so happy.” Elle held a hand over her mouth. “So happy.”

Charlie was on my bed, watching me while I packed my duffle bag the next morning. “I am. She remembers me, Elle.” I grabbed my chest, shaking my head. “Me. My girl remembers me.”

“You made love to her, didn’t you?”

My mouth fell open. “How’d you know?”

In a motherly fashion, she touched my freshly shaved head. “You have young love all over you.” Her eyes watered. “And now we get to take her home, Noble.”

My head tilted. “Noble?”

Nodding, she took my hand and led me from my room.

In the living room, Dagger and Lynx were carrying bags, headed for the garage door in the kitchen. Lynx took one look at Elle and stopped.

He smirked. “You can’t wait, can you?”

She shook her head. “Please. Tell him.”

He and Dagger set down the bags and came to the living room, waving for Vice to leave his headphones and laptop for a minute.

As Vice came to us in the living room, Lynx pulled something from his cut’s inside pocket. He handed me two IDs. “Love you, kid.”

Staring at them, one with my picture, one with Lynx’s, my vision blurred.