It’s better to get some sleep.
Pulling Cassidy into my arms, I hug her tightly just because I can.
“I love you,” I murmur.
Abbott comes over with Ansel to join us, turning Cass into the filling of our sandwich. She sniffles, and we give her the space to work through the pain of today. It’s been a goddamned rollercoaster, and she isn’t at her best.
“No more hiding, Precious,” I murmur against her hair.
“No more,” she promises.
Grabbing extra pillows and blankets, we all head downstairs to find that Winter and Bellamy are curled in a corner of the modular couch. Cassidy climbs up onto the cushions, and crawlsuntil she can lay next to Bellamy. I follow suit, breathing deeply once my arms are wrapped around Cass.
The scent of candied apples and rum soaked cotton candy hits my senses like a hammer between my eyes, making my body shudder.
“Welcome to the chaos,” Cass murmurs.
“Damn,” I breathe. It’s as if my brain is rewiring itself to include Bellamy and Winter into the people that I’m created to protect.
I’ve never had this happen without having more of a connection to people.
“We can’t do anything without the other,” Abbott teases, laying behind me as his arm wraps around my chest.
“We’re codependent as fuck and I like it that way,” Ansel agrees, turning down the light before laying down behind Abbott.
“Life was getting boring anyway,” I tease, smiling as Cassidy’s feet rub against my legs. “All mine.”
“Forever,” Cassidy says sleepily.
I’m fucking counting on it.
Chapter
Seven
ANSEL
Cassidy isn'tin bed when I wake up, and neither is Winter. Pushing myself up to sit, I see that Bellamy is glaring at his IV.
“Don’t pull it out,” I warn him. “I’ll go look for them, okay?”
Shiloh left earlier this morning, plagued by the need to go for an early run and get back to work tracking down the assholes who trafficked Bellamy and Winter.
My phone has also been waking me up since six in the morning with messages from Riley. He removed Winter’s IV yesterday, but mentioned that he’d be back today to give her another because the withdrawals would be hitting soon.
Needless to say, my sleep has been very broken. I should get used to it, because I have a feeling things may get rough.
“Please,” Bellamy says, his voice cracking.
“I bet she got up to use the restroom again,” I say, rising from the bed.
I can vaguely hear the sound of puking and wince in sympathy.
“Or she might be sick from the drug withdrawal,” I admit. Finding a wastepaper basket, I walk around the couch and placeit near him. “This is just in case your stomach gives you trouble. Detox is going to be less than pleasant. Cassidy was puking yesterday.”
“Really? She wasn’t in the room for long,” Bellamy says, his eyes wide with concern. His body is covered in goosebumps as he sits up, and I pull up another blanket to cover him.
I also notice that his eyes dart around the room and his hands are shaking. He and Winter are close, and I can’t help noticing that he’s in rougher shape than his stepsister.
