found the last redeye and paid, then packed a bag, and made my way downstairs.
“Hey,” Rabbit said, smiling. “Heard you’re heading to Colorado.”
“I am.”
“I’m your ride to the airport,” he said.
“Yeah? Thanks, man.”
“When do you need to be there?” Rabbit asked.
“Flight’s in three hours,” I said. “But if you wanna take me now, that’d be good.”
“Yeah, brother, let’s go.”
I nodded and followed him out to his truck.
* * *
Kennedy
“Close the door, brother,” Mouse said, and Shadow nodded, sliding the door closed.
“Mouse—”
“Shut it,” he growled, cutting me off.
“Oh my god,” I breathed out. “Do not ever talk to me that way. I’m leaving.”
He grabbed my arm gently again to stop me from sliding my butt toward the door. “Lace, I’m about to lose my religion, and you’re not leaving this goddamn van until you hear me out.”
“What?” I snapped.
“Look at me.”
I took a minute to steel myself, then met his eyes.
“No one will ever understand your proclivities like I will,” he said. “No one will ever fulfill those proclivities, while protecting you, body and soul, like I will.
“Mouse—”
“Remember when I tied you to the bed and slid that vibrator into your ass while I fucked your pussy? Remember how safe you felt, and how many goddamn orgasms I gave you?”
I squirmed. Yes, yes, I did remember that. He’d tied my wrists in a manner that gave me the ability to escape if I needed to. It was his way of erasing the Seth tape and replacing it with a good memory. As I recalled, he also attached clothespins to my nipples, and they’d stung in the best of ways. I was wet just thinking about it.
“I love you,” he said, and it was such a shock to my system, I broke a little.
But there was no way in hell I was going to let him see that.
“Take it back,” I rasped.
“No,” he said, smiling gently. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, Kennedy. I love you and I’m in this. Forever.”
“You’re going to make yourself miserable.”
“And that’s my choice.”
I let out a quiet hiss. “You’re choosing to love someone who has no intention of loving you back?”
“Baby, you already love me and I’m willin’ to wait until your brain catches up with your heart.”
“Well, that makes you an idiot,” I retorted.
“Maybe. But I’m willing to take the risk.” He squeezed my hand. “Word of warning, though, baby. You dance with anyone in there who has a dick, I’m gonna break his fuckin’ legs.”
I let out a series of curses and jumped out of the van. “Fuck you, Declan Schneider. You’re an asshole.”
He laughed in response.
I awoke in excruciating pain and cried out even as I pushed the pain pump button. God, I couldn’t believe I was here. I’d skied my ass off, had the time of my life, then rode the lift back up the mountain and hit a fucking tree on the way down. My leg broke my fall. Compound fracture which required surgery.
My door opened and light filtered in from the hallway as a woman walked in, pumping hand sanitizer into her palm. “Kennedy, honey, you okay?”
The morphine worked almost immediately, and I nodded. “I am now.”
“I’m Sawyer. I’ll be your nurse for the next twelve hours,” she said. “Can I get you anything?”
“A burger?”
She chuckled. “After your surgery, you can negotiate a burger.”
I licked my lips. “How about water?”
“I’ll ask the doctor,” she said. “Is there anyone we can call for you?”
I shook my head. “My parents are on a cruise so they’re not reachable right now, but I’ve left messages for my brothers. I’m just not sure how soon they’ll be able to get here.”
“Well, I’ll be here before surgery and after, so I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Sawyer, I appreciate that.”
“No problem.” She checked my vitals and then left me to sleep.
Kennedy
A quiet, deep voice broke into my oblivion and I groaned. I had no concept of what time it was, just that I was in pain again. I pressed the pump, but it was too soon, so nothing happened.
“I’ll call you back,” Mouse said.
Wait.
“Mouse?” I rasped.
“Hey, baby.” I felt his hand slide into mine. “Can you open your eyes?”
“No,” I said.
“How come?”
“Because this is obviously some twisted dream, and you’re not really here.”
He chuckled, and I felt the tickle of his beard as he kissed my palm. “Open your eyes, baby.”
I forced them open and forced back tears. “What are you doing here?”
“We’ll talk about that after your surgery.”
“No, we can talk about it