“Andre?” Grey wheezes. “Are you okay?”
“Uh, yeah.” I see him tremble slightly. Oli gets up off the ground and grabs him in a hug, squeezing him tight. “I’m alright. I’m okay.” He hugs him back, burying his head into Oli’s shoulder while Oil’s hand cradles the back of his skull. “I’m okay.”
Grey looks down and to his side. Then his eyes land on me. A tiny smile spreads along his lips. “Hey, Angel.”
“Oh my god.” I hug him tight, squeezing him hard. Too hard, from the grunt that leaves his lips. “I’m so sorry.”
“What did I tell you about saying sorry?” He smiles weakly. “Oli called for help. It’s my knee. I can’t get up.” Alarm hits me. “I’m alright. I will be alright. Just moved way too fast for my knee’s liking.”
He struggles, sitting up slowly. “Are you hurt anywhere serious?” It’s Oli asking me. My face hurts, and I’m sure I have some sort of burns there, but it’s not terrible. My head aches from the pistol whip too, but I’ll live.
“I’m okay.” I bury my face into Grey’s neck, grabbing onto him. This is real. I don’t have to go back. I don’t have to beafraid. Ever. My arms tighten around him. “How did you get here so quickly?”
“I’ll tell you in a moment.” Grey squeezes me hard, and I don’t even have the strength to tell him it hurts. I’m just so happy he’s here. With me.
“Police and ambulance are on the way,” I hear Andre say.
The next hour is chaos and questions. I can’t stop watching Grey as he talks to the police. Luckily everything was caught on camera, both in the front and back. Self-defense. I know he didn’t want to do it. I hate the haunted look in his eyes. I hate that he had to do it for me, but Steven would have killed Andre. I know he would have. Still, I can see the weight there.
I’m checked out by EMTs and cleared. No concussion and only minor injuries. I declined going with them, even with Grey trying to argue for me to go. I’m fine. I don’t want to. There’s only one thing I need to do.
I need to talk to Grey.
“Hey.”I’m surprised when I see Andre come into my room. “Oli and Grey are on the way back now.” Grey had to go down to the station for questions, and Oli went with him. “How are you holding up?”
I swallow. Since everything that happened here, I haven’t been able to think or focus on what I saw back at the wedding. Once Grey and Oli went down to the station, I crashed. I haven’t slept much, and everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours weighed down on me. “I don’t know. I don’t know how to feel.” Everything’s too fresh, and my brain is having a hard time processing it. My nightmare is over in a way, but I feel... I don’t know. Then there’s Grey. What happened? How did they get here so quickly?
Where’s Atlas?
“It’s okay if you’re upset that he’s gone.”
My attention snaps to Andre. “He was evil. He was abusive.”
Andre comes in and sits beside me. “Can I tell you a secret?” I nod. “I’m sometimes upset that my dad’s in prison.”
“What?!”
He nods. “It’s fucked up, I know. The thing is, abuse twists our brains so much. I know it doesn’t make sense, and I don’t think it’s truly how I feel. Sometimes I think about it, and it upsets me. I’m just saying. If you are upset, I wouldn’t judge you. I get it.”
I think about it, but I’m not. “I don’t think I am. Just because he died, doesn’t erase how horrible he was. I’m relieved it’s over but... I feel off.”
Andre throws a muscular arm around me. “Feel whatever you need to. Don’t suppress it. Today was fucked up. What you went through was fucked up. We’ll be here for you. I’m here for you if you want to talk about any of it.”
I don’t really want to talk about him. I want the memories to die right alongside him, but I know it’s not that easy. There is something I do want to know. “How did you guys get here so fast?”
“After Atlas kissed Grey, we went to find you and tell you that Grey didn’t do it. We found the room open and Grey went to security. We saw him leave with you.”
“What do you mean after Atlas kissed Grey. I saw them. I?—”
“You saw Atlas shit-faced drunk, poorly telling Grey that he’s in love with him. Grey didn’t kiss him. He’d never do that.” He sighs. “Grey is?—”
“What about Grey?” He fills the doorway with a soft smile that doesn’t reach his tired eyes. All the numbness I felt a second ago bursts with all this feeling.
Andre stands, giving me one last squeeze on the shoulder. “Anytime, alright? For anything.” I nod as he walks out clapping Grey on the back. “You alright?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you. I’m glad you’re okay too.” Grey hugs him. “Oli’s in the car.” Once Andre is gone, Grey’s blue eyes swing my way. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
