“Pretty sure I’ve got three cracked ribs, bad bruising on my hip, and I’m really fucking tired, Lennon. But I need you to tell me, baby, that you’re okay,” I whisper, rubbing my face over hers.
“I will be,” she says smartly.
And it pushes me over the edge because I need to fucking know. It’s eating me up. “Not later, Lennon, now! Are you okay right this minute!”
She shakes her head, like she doesn’t want to say anything, but Lincoln’s behind her urging her on as much as I am. And then one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, fractures. Her voice cracks as she moans, her eyes fill with all this despair that she tries to keep inside.
“Let me in, Lennon,” I whisper as I kiss her.
She holds my gaze and shudders before she talks in that beautiful voice of hers. “I’m really fucking distraught about Ares. I hate being in this house, and I want to set the world on fire.”
“Thank you.” I smile encouragingly at her as she all but puddles in my arm. “I’m sorry for everything that happened. But mostly for what they did to Ares. I am so sorry.”
And she looks away, over to where Noah and my brother are before she cuddles up under my chin and wets my throat with her tears. Lincoln rubs his hand over her as she cries silently. I’m with her in every sense of the word until I see the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in a while.
“We’re camping? Jesus, you do hate it here.”
She huffs a wet sad laugh against my skin. Another soft press over her lips to the same place, along with a deep inhale is all she allows herself before she climbs down, grabs my hand, and drags me over to Noah.
“Lincoln, are you hurt too?” Lennon asks quietly, tentatively almost.
“Yes, darling. Noah will fix us up, and once we’ve slept, I promise we’ll be right as rain.”
She barely swallows a growl that pulls her lips closed. But somehow she does, and she leans in to kiss him gently before leaving the garage.
We all track her every step.
Noah breaks the silence. “Give her a minute. She’s not exaggerating, she really does hate being here.”
Gabe walks over, even before Noah can do or say a thing, and I lunge at him, much like I lunged at Lennon. His arms latch around me. Having a twin is such a strange phenomenon; when we’re apart, I feel like I’ve lost something important. When I’m with him, I feel whole, even when he drives me crazy.
“You scared me, Val. It felt weird this time.”
“Yeah. I hear you. We’ve got some scores to settle.”
“Sleep with Len, she’s been worried but okay. And tomorrow we’ll start planning.”
Noah waves me forward once Gabe lets me go. His eyes are tracking over every part of me, not settling anywhere as he keeps assessing. “Where are you hurt most?”
“Copped more than a few boots on my side, heard something crack. And I’m pretty sure I’ll be pissing blood for a few days.” I list off what I know. “Got whacked on the head but no residual headache after waking up about twelve hours back.”
Noah orders me into the shower. After ten minutes, I’ve still got blood staining my nails and Lennon isn’t back in our area. In my absence though, a couple of extra beds have been added close to the large tent.
Once my ribs are strapped in place and everything else is patched up, I hobble through the quietness to find her. I’m a moth to her flame, drawn to her. Climbing up behind her on their expensive marble kitchen countertop, I pull my omega onto my lap.
“You promise you’re okay, and Lincoln too?” she asks, her gaze locked on the view of their garden outside. I fucking hate hearing her small like this.
“You know I’m the only one not to sugar coat anything for you, so yeah, like Lincoln said, once I’ve slept next to you for about a day and a half, I’ll be good.”
“Promise?”
“Always.” I rest my head on hers and breathe her in. It’s peaceful, but still I’ve got stuff I need to say. “I don’t think anyone could stop me finding you, Lennon. Not even if…”
“Don’t say that. Jesus, all I can see are these snapshots in my head of when I had to leave you.”
“You did the right thing. Except for the fucking shot Lincoln told me about, after the fact!”
She lets out a short breathy laugh. “You know, Gabe said he wasn’t going to save me from you.”
