God. “I need to touch you. I’m going to carry you, okay? I won’t do anything else. I’m just going to take you home.”
“Home.” She swallows. “I always wanted a home. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
My eyes burn. “Then I’ll build you one, okay? I’m going to build you the best home, Kenny. We’re going to make this right. I’ll do better, I promise.”
She’s killing me. I can’t breathe.
She barely stirs as I lift her. Her head balances against my shoulder, her hand curled limply against my chest. A low mumble comes from her as I begin walking. Slowly, assessing my balance. And then faster. “Don’t touch me, Brett.”
Shit.
“Kenny?” She doesn’t answer. I glance down. Her eyes are closed, soft breathing against my chest.
Carefully, I pull her closer and pick up my pace. “I’ve got you.”
And I have no intention of letting her go again.
Kennedy
The world returns in a rush of fear and cold sweat as I bolt upright. Chest heaving, I stare around blankly.
I don’t know this room. It smells sterile, and cold, and dark, and I scramble back until my back hits something solid.
The Center – I still had time—
A hand brushes my arm, and I throw them up instinctively, flinching back.
“Hey, love,” the voice murmurs. “It’s just me. It’s alright.”
My vision flickers, warmth illuminating the room with shades of orange. “Max?”
He kneels beside me, offering me a crooked smile. “You with me?”
My breathing still see-saws inside my lungs, but I force a nod. “What happened?”
“You don’t remember?”
My head shakes unsteadily. He studies me. “Oscar found you in town. You gave us a good runaround. But you weren’t well, so he brought you here. You had a fever, but it settled pretty quickly.”
My toes curl up, my fingers gripping the soft material beneath me. “Oh.”
“How do you feel?” He gives me another once over that must find me lacking, because his lips press into a thin line.
Like I’m dying.“Fine, I guess.”
I glance down, to the bandages wrapped around my palms.
“You had some glass there.” He nods to a small first aid kit beside us. “I took it out while you were sleeping. Didn’t want to leave it in. But I need to check your knees too.”
Glass, from Theo’s windows. I press my tongue into my cheek. “Is he here? Theo?”
“He is. But he’s not angry at you.”
My laugh is biting and sharp. “Sure he’s not. The way he put me in place with his bark really showed that.”
Max sighs. “It was unforgivable, and he knows it.”
Part of me doesn’t blame him, not really. Not when I’ve been giving him the runaround on Brett’s death, refusing to talk to him. But the rest of me could probably go for another ten rounds on his truck.
