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“I haven’t said anything.”
“You’re about to tell me I’m not going.”
“I was about to tell you that if you come with me, you’re not going to pretend you’re fully recovered because you want to prove something.”
“I got stabbed, Duncan. I didn’t suddenly become incapable of sitting in a chair.”
“I’ve watched you fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon every day this week.”
“And I’ll take a fucking nap at the compound if I need one.”
I stare at him for a moment before sliding my hand around the back of his neck. There is no version of this conversation where Nash agrees to stay here while the two people responsible for everything that happened are sitting at our compound, and if our positions were reversed, I wouldn’t stay behind either.
“If you start hurting, you tell me. If you get tired, you sit down. I’m not arguing with you about either one.”
“Fine.”
I kiss his forehead. “Go change.”
He starts toward the stairs before looking back at me. “You’ve gotten worse since the hospital.”
“You almost died.”
“That is not going to win every argument for the rest of my life.”
“We’ll see.”
The drive to the compound takes less than an hour. Nash is quieter than usual, watching out the window while I keep one hand on his thigh. About halfway there, he shifts in his seat and presses his palm carefully against his side.
“You hurting?”
“A little. Sitting in the same position too long pulls at it.”
I start to tell him we can turn around, but the look he gives me stops the words before they leave my mouth.
“Don’t even fucking say it.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Bullshit.”
I move my hand higher on his thigh. “Tell me if it gets worse.”
“I will.”
He settles back against the seat, and I leave my hand where it is. He doesn’t need me asking every five minutes if he’s all right, but I’m still going to notice when he isn’t.
Taylor is waiting when we reach the compound and walks with us toward the rear building, slowing his pace without making it obvious he’s doing it for Nash.
“Everything clean with Dare?” I ask.
“It will be by morning. Nothing leads here.”
That’s enough for now. “What about Alina?”
“She still thinks Dare escaped custody and is coming for her.”
Nash looks over at him. “You haven’t told her you have him?”
