I snicker. “Always.”
“I need to go back inside with Madison,” Ryder says. “But you guys need to know that this isn’t the end of it. Jerry and Justin were working together, and I think Justin’s uncle, whoever he is, is also involved. Until we find out who is behind all of this, we need to be careful.”
“Declan is still on the mend, and it’ll be a while before we can get clearer pictures of the car and license plate,” Hawk says, followed by a frustrated sigh. “I’d get it myself, but he keeps important shit locked up.”
Ryder nods. “So I guess we’ll wait until then.”
We part ways, and by the time I return to Nova’s bedroom, I’m dragging ass and it feels like my chest is being crushed by the thorny vines.
I kick off my boots, strip to my boxers, and climb behind Nova on the bed. Curling my body against hers, I bury my face in her shoulder and find sleep.
THIRTY-FOUR
AIDEN
I wakewith the feeling of fingers brushing against my cheek. Nova’s scent fills my lungs and clears the drowsiness. I catch her wrist as she moves a stray lock of hair away from my closed eye.
She sucks in a breath. “Sorry.”
Cracking open my eyes, I turn her hand and kiss the middle of her palm. Her face flushes, and she digs her front teeth into her bottom lip.
“Don’t be sorry.” I give her a sleepy smile and glance at the windows. “What time is it?”
“Seven.” Nova tugs her hand from my grasp.
“In the evening?” I blanch. “Fuck, I must’ve been passed out all day. I’m sorry, pretty girl. Are you okay?”
Her soft laugh tightens my chest, making my heart race and skip a beat. “It’s seven in the morning. You should go back tosleep.” Her eyes soften, and she scoots off the bed. “You’ve been running yourself ragged lately, and I don’t?—”
“You’re not going anywhere.” I catch her around the waist and drag her over the top of me.
Nova squeals and puts up a pathetic fight to get out of my arms. I grin and nuzzle my nose into her hair.
“Let go.” She huffs and raises her head, her eyes narrowed in a mock glare, but there’s no heat in it.
“Never.” I kiss her nose and thread my fingers through her hair, stroking through the strands and winding a lock around my finger.
Nova’s rigid posture relaxes, and she melts against me, her features softening and a tiny smile quirking her lips.
“Thank you,” she whispers. “For last night.”
“Baby, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there in the beginning. But you don’t need to thank me for helping you.”
“You don’t have to help me. I don’t want you to feel like I’m depending on you to be there every time it storms.”
“Where is this coming from?” I frown.
The answer sucker punches me in the jaw.
Shit. She overheard my conversation with Ryder. And all this time she’s been holding on to what she overheard, pretending everything is fine when I hurt her.
I push onto my elbow and sit up with her straddling my lap and looking everywhere but at me.
“What you heard me say to Ryder,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “I didn’t mean any of it.”
“I figured. But I still want you to know that you don’t have to do anything for me.” She flashes me a reassuring smile. “If I annoy you, just let me know, okay?”
I catch her wrist and lower her hand, then thread our fingers together. “You don’t annoy me.”I annoy myself.“And I had tosound convincing so he wouldn’t figure out that our dynamic hasn’t changed, and that we’re not?—”
