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“What the fuck, Bear?”
“It’s just until he recovers. Lyla’s worried about him, and he did nearly die to save her life.”
“I don’t know…”
“Please? I want Lyla to stay with us, and if Thane can’t, then she’s gone too.”
He exhales heavily through the phone. “Fine. Whatever.”
“You won’t have to see him or deal with him, I promise. Just don’t start any shit, and don’t tell anyone they’re both staying with us.”
“Not even Remy? Colt? Do they know?”
“Not yet. I’ll tell them eventually.”
“Eventually, as in when they figure it out on their own?”
“Something like that.”
“Whatever, bro. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I hope so too,” I agree before ending the call.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lyla
“Thank you again for agreeing to let Thane stay,” I tell Bear while we put sheets on the bed in the spare room.
“RJ promised not to mess with him, so…”
“So, I know you’re not thrilled, but it means a lot that I can be here for him after everything that happened.”
“I know,” he agrees as he shoves a pillow into a pillowcase.
Barrett isn’t happy about the temporary living arrangement, but he’s doing it for me.
“Any updates from my dad?” I ask him once the bed is made and we go sit in the living room to wait for some of the Devil Hounds to bring Thane straight from the hospital.
“No. They’re still looking for him.”
“I can’t believe he’s still out there and hasn’t been arrested yet.”
“Well, Thane did put a bullet in him,” Barrett remarks ashe slips his arm around my shoulders. “If I had to guess, he’s been holed up somewhere healing. Or maybe even dying of blood loss or infection.”
“Is it wrong that I hope that’s what happened?” I ask softly.
“God, no. This man nearly killed Thane and tried to kidnap you. Twice!”
“I have loved staying with you, Bear, and working on getting Bruised Not Broken off the ground. You know that. But I want my life back. I’m tired of being a prisoner, living in fear that he’ll show up here and hurt you and your family. I need to be free of all of this, go where I want when I want without a babysitter. No offense. I know you’re not my babysitter. I just don’t want you to feel obligated to be with me around the clock.”
“I get it, baby, and I’m sorry. I wish I knew how to find this fucker once and for all.”
I nod and lean my head against his shoulder as I stare at the television screen but don’t actually watch it.
Finally, I have an idea.
“Maybe there’s a way to figure out if he’s dead or alive,” I tell Bear as I lift my head to turn and face him.
