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Lincoln draped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me against his side. “I have to keep her safe. I’ll do whatever it takes. You of all people should understand that.”
Caspian looked down at Tatum before meeting Lincoln’s stare again. “Yeah. I do.” He let out a long sigh. “Fuck.” He nudged Tatum to sit up so he could get off the couch. “Come with me,” he told Lincoln. Then he tapped on the glass to get Chandler’s attention. “I found something last night that might help.”
So, that was it? They were just going to encourage Lincoln? Come up with some diabolical plan for us all to vanish and live on this island?
This whole thing was giving me a headache.
I plopped down on the couch next to Tatum, nudging her with my shoulder. “Betcha thought you got rid of me.”
She handed me a half-eaten bag of peanut M&Ms. “You never went anywhere.”
Tatum didn’t eat peanut M&Ms. I did. Seeing her sitting here now, right after I had to leave, with my favorite candy in her lap, made my heart swell. All this time, all these years, she’d carried a piece of me with her however she could. I never went anywhere.
Toughen up, soldier. Don’t you fucking cry.
“If you tell me you have a Dr Pepper I might just kiss you on the lips.”
“Well…” she paused the movie they’d been watching.John Wickfrom the looks of it. He reminded me of Grey—quiet, broken, and dangerous. Then she jumped off the couch and headed toward the kitchen. “It looks like today isbothof our lucky day.” Then she winked at me and opened the refrigerator.
I sank back into the cushions and popped a green M&M in my mouth.
Tatum plopped down beside me, handing me a Dr Pepper. “I thought it would be weird…” she pulled the aluminum tab, opening the can with a carbonated hiss. “… seeing you with my brother.”
I opened my can and took a drink, letting the cold fizz soothe my throat. There was nothing like that feeling. “Is it?”
She smiled and leaned back against the cushion. “Not really.” Her bright blue eyes sparkled. This was the Tatum I’d been missing so much. She was still there. Life had just changed her the same way it had changed me. “It’s actually nice. You two look good together. He’s a different Lincoln when he’s with you.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
She took a drink, then stole an M&M, popping it in her mouth. “That’s a very good thing.”
We spent the rest of the time talking about her life on the island and why she and Caspian left New York. I told her about his visits to me in Scotland and how they were the only thing I had to hold onto most of the time.
I knew Grey would find me. It was only a matter of time. And I knew the rest of the Brotherhood wouldn’t be far behind him. But for now I was going to enjoy feeling normal again, even if there was no way it was going to last.
