Maybe all this is just some weird trauma response, but it feels like something so much more…
"Before we got to you tonight, he saved me from the men who took you. He saved your life. He saved all those women. And yes, he killed people to do it, but those people were..." I swallow hard. "They were evil, Laurie. They were going to sell you. Sell all of you to god knows who for god knows what. And they would have killed anyone who got in their way."
"That doesn't answer my question," she probes, stifling a yawn.
"I am okay," I say quietly. "Which probably says something terrible about me. But I'm okay with it because he did what needed to be done. And because..." I trail off, not sure how to explain.
"Because you would have done the same thing if you could," Laurie finishes.
"Am I an awful person?" I ask, my voice suddenly small as I hold back the tears.
Laurie laughs lightly, "Not even a little bit. The way you jumped that guy will forever live rent free in my head. The way you wouldn’t let up so we could get out. I genuinely didn’t know you had it in you and I’m so impressed. But mostly I’m grateful and so exhausted."
I pull her into a side hug, resting my head on her shoulder. "Macy said you were giving them grief non-stop."
"Abso-fucking-lutely I was. There was no way I was going to roll over and make taking me easy."
Laughter works its way out of me. Then we’re both laughing. The adrenaline finally wearing off and leaving us somewhat hysterical but mostly bone-tired.
"Laney," she says, nudging my head off her shoulder and brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "He looks at you like you're the only person in the world. And you look at him like...like you can't decide if he makes you feel alive or terrified." She takes my hand. "It's okay to feel both those things."
"I barely know him."
"You know he saved us. You know he's protecting those women even though he doesn't have to. You know he looks at you like you hung the moon." She squeezes my fingers. "Sometimes that's enough to start with."
"What if it's too fast? What if I'm just... trauma-bonding or something?"
"Maybe you are. Or maybe this is real. You won't know unless you let yourself find out." She studies my face. "Do you want to be with him?"
"Yes," I admit.
"Then go."
"But what about you? I should stay—"
"No." Laurie shakes her head firmly. "I need to stay here with the others. We need each other right now. We need to process this together with people who understand." She manages a small smile. "And honestly? I need some space. I need to figure out who I am after... after everything."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." She looks toward the door, where I can hear the murmur of voices from the common room. "These women need me. And I need them. But you?" She turns back to me. "You need him. I can see it. You're holding yourself together by sheer force of will, and you're about three seconds away from completely falling apart. Go with him. Let him help you. Fall apart with him then fuck him senseless…"
"Laurie!" I say with a gasp and she laughs.
"What?" she says, all wide-eyed despite the swelling from the bruise high on her cheek. "I heard trauma-bond sex is reallyamazing." She grins, and for a second I see a flash of the old Laurie, the one who existed before all this. "Put the poor man out of his misery."
I laugh despite myself, wiping at my own eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too." She pulls me in for one more hug before shoo-ing me from the room.
Yakov
Laney walks over to me, exhaustion clearly threatening to pull her under.
"Ready to go?" I ask.
"Yes." She glances back at her sister one more time. "Laurie says she needs to stay here tonight. Process everything with the others."
"That's smart."
