Max reaches into the car to pick me up and carry me in.
“It’s a head wound. I didn’t break a leg.”
“Woman, just let me carry you.” He lifts me up like I’m made of blown glass.
“At least you aren’t in your neanderthal mode. Though you kind of look like one with all my blood on you.”
“Don’t remind me. I’d prefer to forget that this whole day happened. Watching them stitch your head just about did me in.”
Sometimes I wish I could forget my entire life and start again.
We walk in the house and through to the kitchen, where Lulu and Emilia are cooing over Dash.
“What happened to her head?” Lulu glares at Max.
“Are you okay?” Emilia rushes over.
It’s then that I remember all that’s covering me is this blanket and an outfit that would probably make them faint…maybe not Lulu. Would they both be able to handle their disgust? A fire burns on my hip. “I’m fine.”
“I’m home.” Everett bursts into the room, full of energy. “Our op was the coolest.”
That isn’t how I’d describe it. Today I was brave, but it wasn’t enough to make up for running when my friend neededme. It didn’t take away the guilt and the filth that always feels like it’s hovering over me.
“Vex has the coolest secret lair, Nonna.” Everett walks over and kisses Emilia’s cheek. “I want to have one like it someday. But I don’t want just all the cool weapons. My secret lair would have all the old video games—you know, the ones you played when you were a kid, Max. They were the best, even though the graphics are horrible. How did you stand it, Max?”
Max rolls his eyes.
“Do you have stuff like that in your secret lair?”
“The whole thing about having a secret lair is it being a secret.” Poor Max…Everett might drive him out of his mind in his quest to grow up just like him.
“Fea, what you did today was…”
Incredibly stupid.
“AMAZING. Nonna, you should have heard it. She just put her hand in with a cobra…a cobra. Then she told Max to chop her head open.”
“Guess who we found when we were walking in?” Temperance and Talon step into the kitchen.
Behind them is Daria, with little Gemma by her side.
“Daria.” I rush over to her and envelop her in my arms. “I’m sorry. She wasn’t there. I didn’t save her. But she’s alive. He didn’t kill her. She killed The Spider.”
Daria sobs in my arms.
Gemma tugs on my hand. “Momma’s alive?”
I squat down as Daria brushes away her tears. “We think she is. But until then, you’ll live with Daria and me if that’s okay with you?”
Gemma nods.
A great big boom comes from the front door.
“I think you have company,” Lulu chimes in, not moving.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Knight signs as well as speaking out loud.
“Before you do—” I hop up, or as close as I can to hopping up with my head like it is, and walk over to him. “Thank you for caring for them.”
