AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, he is, and you’re safe.”
—:—
Monk was within a foot of Saylor and Doc when he saw her legs give out.
“Let me,” he said, racing forward and taking her in his arms.
“She’s out. You got her?” Doc asked.
Monk nodded, holding Saylor’s limp body in his arms.
“Take her to Razor’s. I’ll help with clean up.”
Monk nestled Saylor’s body close to him, walking slowly down the trail, and up the front steps of her brother’s house. Before he could get the door open, she came to.
“What happened?” she asked.
“You fainted,” he said as Merrigan opened the door to let them in.
He set her on her feet when he saw Sierra and Savannah racing over. Neither said a word as Saylor nestled them in her arms like he’d done to her.
“I love you both so much,” he heard her murmur.
“We love you too, Mama,” the girls answered with their arms tight around their mother’s neck.
Monk knelt down next to them and brushed a tear from Saylor’s cheek. “Can I get in on this?”
Sierra let go of her mother and put her arm around Monk’s neck instead. He didn’t know how long they stayed that way, but just as his legs began to ache from the position he was in, Sierra let go. He stood and then helped Saylor do the same.
“Where is everyone?” she asked, looking around the empty room.
“Mama, what happened?” asked Savannah, whose lower lip was quivering. “We were in our room, and Miss Tally said we had to climb out the window and come with her, and then Mr. Monk was carrying you, and…”
Saylor picked Savannah up as her little girl dissolved into tears. When Monk put his arm around Sierra’s shoulders, she turned into him and cried as hard as her sister was. He knelt down and brushed her tears away.
“Everything is okay,” he murmured when she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
“What happened?” he heard her whisper.
“We can talk about all that later. I bet your mama would like a glass of water,” he said. “What about you?”
Sierra nodded, let go of his neck, grasped his hand instead, and walked toward the kitchen. “She might like that better,” she said, pointing to the bottle of wine on the counter.
“You’re probably right,” said Monk, laughing. “We’ll give her both.”
“She is right,” said Saylor, walking in with Savannah, who immediately went to help her sister get water from the fridge.
Monk opened his arms, and Saylor walked into them.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He put his arms around her and brought her as close to his body as he could. “We need to talk about tonight.”
Saylor turned her head so her cheek rested on his chest. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his skin. “What about it?”
“We’re having a sleepover. Even if I have to sleep on the couch,” he whispered.
“Just tonight?”
