Nightfall (Devil's Night #4) - Penelope Douglas Page 0,242

the police and finding Martin’s body.

I should take a picture. She was going to be really pissed when she saw her hair hanging all limp like that.

The girls and I crowded around the bed, seeing her eyes start to open, and I leaned down, hating how pale her lips were. Alex always had color there.

“Just a few minutes, everyone,” the nurse warned and then left the room.

“How are you?” I asked as Will pulled the curtain closed from the night outside.

Alex’s head bobbed a little. “I feel so good right now.”

Rika laughed under her breath, leaning over from the other side. “A little high, are you?”

“Yeahhhhh,” she said, sounding all satisfied about it.

“I think Aydin wants to be naked in this bed with you right now,” I told her.

“He’s sooooo adorable.” She blinked, looking sleepy. “Did you see his muscles in that T-shirt? Shiverrrrrs.”

“Jesus Christ,” Damon grumbled, turning away.

“He wants to sit with you tonight, but we want to stay,” I said. “He can see you tomorrow. If you want.”

She didn’t say anything, but after a few moments, her eyes opened and she took a deep breath, looking more alert.

“Let him in,” she told us. “Go wake up that judge and finish that wedding.”

I shook my head. “No, we can do that tomorrow.”

“Tonight.”

She met my eyes, and I pushed the hair out of her face, Rika diving in and kissing her temple.

“I’ll see you later,” she said.

But…

“Go,” she ordered. “And don’t leave each other…go for at least eight hours.”

I chuckled, but I closed my mouth, not arguing any further. They had things to say to each other, at any rate. She needed to be alone with him.

“Send him in for me?” Alex asked as we all started to drift out.

“We’re leaving Lev right outside,” Michael called out.

“Why?” Alex inquired. “Am I in danger?”

“He’s a…” I drifted off, searching for the words. “A chaperone, actually.”

“Huh?”

“’Night!” we sing-songed, not bothering to explain.

We’d leave that for Aydin. They had a long evening ahead, especially since Michael’s no-touch order completely depended on Lev’s ability to take on Aydin by himself. I mean, he seemed like a scrapper, but I wasn’t confident.

“Come in your pajamas, for all I care,” Will said into the phone. “We’ll be waiting at the gazebo.”

I clutched his arm as he hung up with the judge, I assumed, and we all left the hospital, Rika talking to Michael close and quietly.

I knew she was concerned about the kid. She’d had David take the girl to St. Killian’s for the night, while we wrapped up at the Cove and here, but if I knew her at all by now, an idea was already brewing.

Within ten minutes, the eight of us were back in front of the judge who wore her black robe over jeans this time, and I looked up at Will, blowing the lock of hair out of my face.

“You can still run,” he taunted.

“Maybe after this.” I did a little dance in my stained jeans and dirty face. “When you’re legally required to come after me, that is.”

Martin drifted through my mind, as well as my parents, Grand-Mère, and how I didn’t have a single person of my own here whom I was bringing into this family.

I came alone, without much else to offer these people, but I was starting tomorrow with everything I ever wanted.

I had brothers who cared about me now. Aydin, Rory, and the beautiful Micah, his gentleness and presence that put me at ease at Blackchurch almost immediately.

I had a career, an education, and The Carfax Room. I also had Will behind me…and in front of me, willing to take a bullet if I were ever in danger.

I trusted myself now. I wasn’t leaving, and I wasn’t hiding.

Happy people don’t fear death, because there’s nothing more they want out of life than what they have right now.

I smiled, because I didn’t have any fear.

Finally, I was free.

“Okay,” the judge said, all of us standing where we stood five hours ago, now dressed in street clothes with a little blood here and there.

“Michael and Erika,” she said. “Damon and Winter. Kai and Nikova. William and Emory.”

Will jerked his eyes to her. “We did this part,” he told her. “Can you just finish where you left off?”

“Will…” I scolded under my breath.

He looked at me. “I have Godzilla vs. Kong at the theater waiting for us.”

My mouth fell open. “Already? It doesn’t release for a few weeks!”

He shot me a look, like ‘please.’

I snorted, glancing at the judge.