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Setting me down, he rearranges the scratchy blankets across my legs and sits beside me on the bed. He still has the wondering look, expecting an answer about Cris. I take a moment to organize my thoughts. “I’m sad, of course. Even though he didn’t treat me well, Cris was my brother, and I loved him. But … Sav,” I look into his eyes and I feel more tears brimming in mine. “He knew that man was beating me. He knew they hurt me. And he didn’t care.”
The tears are coming again, but there’s no hysterical crying, so I keep talking. “He sold me out for $10,000, to use me as bait. And then he wanted me to get a job to pay him more. Cris didn’t love me, Sav. I know he didn’t.”
Savage looks angry and sad, his face warring with the emotions. “I’m sorry, baby. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
I’m sure I won’t feel so raw about it when I think about it in the future, but right now, it hurts a lot. My brother sold me out for money then threatened to kill me when the consequences of his actions came to bite him in the ass. My hand flies up to my neck and I feel a scab over the area where he held the knife against my skin. I let out a shaky breath, rubbing over the spot, feeling tears well again. “I wish you didn’t have to kill him, but I’m not going to hold it against you. I told you I would forgive you. It will be hard to come to terms with his death, but I don’t blame you, Sav.”
He doesn’t look at me. He drops his head and nods, softly kissing the back of the hand he’s holding. “We can get out of here when you’re ready, but we have to be careful. We’re not supposed to be alive. We can go to the penthouse. It’s under a fake company name, so we’ll be safe there. You can rest and get better. I’ll take care of you, I promise.”
“Where’s Pogo? He okay?” I ask in a drowsy voice. I’m in pain, but I’m so tired. I want to get to sleep as soon as possible.
“He’s fine. Michael and Quin have him in their apartment. Since no one knows I’m alive, I don’t need bodyguards right now. Here, take this.” He hands me a pill and a bottle of water. I look at him and raise an eyebrow as much as I can. He chuckles. “Hydrocodone. Got them from the doctor while you were out.” I nod and take what he offered.
After swallowing it down, I sigh and look over at him. “Let’s go home. I don’t want to be here anymore. I’ll feel safer the further away we are and I know no one will try to get to you.”
Scooping me up, Savage tucks me to his chest and we leave to get back to the penthouse. I’m glad. The blanket here made me itch.
We stay at the penthouse for about four weeks. Since we’re more than an hour outside the city, we don’t worry too much about being seen, but we don’t take careless trips. Our groceries are delivered, we only take Pogo downstairs to walk and do his business at night, and we don’t contact anyone from our old lives. I know Savage hates that he didn’t tell Janet what was going on, but he said it would be safer for her if she didn’t know.
The explosion made headlines for a few weeks, mainly because Savage was supposed to be in it. Going by what the papers said, me, Savage, Michael, and Quin, as well as thirty other people, died in the explosion. Looks like the doctors came through with the DNA tests and dental record comparisons.
Savage waits on me hand and foot during my recovery, even though I tell him I can do certain things on my own. “You went through hours of torture for me and didn’t give me up. You’ll let me show my appreciation any way I know how,” he told me in that growly voice I love, so I stopped asking him to let me do anything on my own if he wanted to help.
We talk about where we want to go when I’m healed, but I have no clue where I want to settle down. And honestly, I don’t care. I just want to go somewhere that I can be with Savage. He doesn’t know either, so we’re going to wait to see if we get a bright idea.
Michael and Quin have been spending a lot of time with us, probably feeling a little lost since they don’t have jobs anymore. They both gave me long but gentle hugs when Savage and I got back to the penthouse. When Quin pulled back from me, he said, “I’m sorry they did this to you. You did good, withstanding that beating. You’re a stronger man than most, Abel.” I don’t know about that. Just a man in love with a man who deserves good things.
They’re both well off now that Savage transferred them money to restart their lives. I have a feeling they won’t leave us, though.
I feel like shit that Michael feels so guilty. “If I had gone in with you, I could have—”
“No,” I cut him off with a slash of my hand. “You would have been tortured or killed. You did nothing wrong, Michael. What happened is on me. If I had told you—”
It’s his turn to cut me off. “You don’t blame yourself for what your brother did. You were trying to help him.”
“I won’t blame myself if you won’t.” Got him. He looked at me with narrowed eyes, then smiled softly and nodded.
One night, Savage and I are watching a movie where the main character sets up an elaborate date for his wife. I think of our backyard tent set up, and I have it. “Quebec,” I say randomly.
“I’m sorry?”
“Let’s go to Canada. I’ve never been that far north. I want to see snow.”
“Canada. You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Wanna become a Canadian?” I ask, looking back at him with a slight smirk.
He chuckles and kisses the top of my head. “We have Canadian passports. Shouldn’t be hard to become a citizen, right?”
Starting over will be hard. Especially starting over in a new country. But I have Savage and our little family and a dog. I think we’ll be okay. I have everything I need. Finally, I have a family again.
Wrapping his arms around me, Savage kisses my neck and whispers, “I love you, Abel.”
I turn around in his arms and look him in the eye. His are clear and serious, so I know it’s not something he’s saying on a whim. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I should have told you before, but it never seemed like the right time. Then I realized that no time will ever be the right time unless I make it the right time. I love you, Abel Reynolds. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m glad I did it. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I want to be with you forever. Or until you get tired of me.” I snort and he smiles, then gives me a quick kiss. “I’m serious, though. I really love you, baby.”
Tearing up, I reply, “I love you, too, Sav. You know that.”
