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Her hands are propped on her hips, and when I twist, her eyes fall to my chest and glimmer with a tear.
“Baby, come here.”
She rushes to me, careful to wrap her hands around my waist. “You should be resting.”
“Let’s get this meeting done, visit Talon, and then we’ll go back to bed.”
She nods against my chest, sniffling softly. “Let me treat these.”
I hop on the counter, leaning back to give her access. She gently towels off the area, then begins her routine. Half a dozen tubes lie around, and when she’s done, I’m glistening, tingling, and smell like a damn spa. But I keep my mouth shut.
“Ace still here?”
“He’s in the bedroom.”
“Send him in to help me dress?”
“I can do it.”
“Babe, I’m over two hundred pounds. If I go down, you’ll be crushed.”
“I can do it,” she insists, straightening her spine. “We can do it in parts. Lay you down or something.”
“Get Ace.” I lift her chin and kiss her lightly. “Please.”
She scrubs her hand through my wet hair and tips up to run her lips across the cut on my cheek.
I tamper down the guilt as she goes. When the door to my room closes, I hop off and dress in loose athletic pants and a sweatshirt she laid out.
“Thank God I don’t have to cover your bare ass.” Ace hands over my jacket with a knowing smirk.
“Your loss.” I find the box, slipping the ring into my pocket.
“Harley and I will ghost, but brace, man.”
“I saw the house before I left.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
We head to the kitchen and straightaway, his meaning is clear. The house is cleaned, the blood is gone, and there’s no sign of struggle.
The lamps are replaced, a new flatscreen hangs, and the drywall is repaired.
That’s not all. Christmas trinkets are placed around the room, small twinkling lights strung inside garland over the front door, and candles scent the room in birch, apple, and cinnamon.
The kitchen island is loaded with pastries, fruit, bagels, cheeses, and a selection of meats.
“How long was I asleep?”
“We had help.” Harley comes to me, cupping my jaw, her eyes glimmering bright. “Thank you for staying alive.”
“No other way to be.”
She kisses my cheek and goes to Ace. “We’ll be back for the meeting.”
I glance at Ace who’s grinning haughtily.
Asshole told her.
