And what they did to Aerin?
Waking on the grass to see that maniac on top of her trying to squeeze the life out of her was terrifying.
A few seconds later and I would have lost her.
Never in my years as an enforcer has life been this fucking chaotic. Someone really wants Aerin dead.
“You’re okay,” Pidge says after a long period of silence. “Heavy bleeder, but you’ll live. And this…” Pidge’s rough fingertips drag against my healing wound from the restaurant. “You gotta stop getting shot.”
“I’m not making it a habit,” I grunt as he covers my wound with gauze and drops the bullet into a plastic cup next to me. “Am I good?”
“Yup.” As I sit up, Pidge leans back and shoves his glasses up so he can rub his eyes. “Why did you come here?”
“Where else was I supposed to go?” I murmur. “I couldn’t think.”
“When was the last time you slept?”
“Have I put you in danger?”
“No,” Pidge grumbles. “I just meant…you avoided all my invitations to visit me and then you turn up half dead. And you didn’t answer my question. When did you last sleep?”
“Couple of days ago.”
“Hm.” He pulls a pill bottle from his back and empties a couple onto his hand, then tosses them to me. “You wanna tell me how you ended up babysitting Aerin Paramatti and nearly dying for it?”
“I’m sorry.” Aerin’s soft voice rises from the doorway, drawing our attention to her. She’s pale and her eyes are like saucers as she huddles in the housecoat she took from the back of the door.
“Aerin.” I stand and wobble. Pidge immediately grabs my arm.
“You both need rest.”
“I was…I’m sorry.” Tears well in her eyes and my heart lurches, so I shake Pidge off and approach her.
“It’s fine. What’s wrong?”
Something about my tone makes her flinch and my gut tightens.
“I…it was too dark…I was too alone and I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Aerin’s voice grows softer and softer as she talks.
“Come on,” I say, gritting my teeth through the pain and fighting to make my tone as soft as possible. “I’ll come and sit with you.”
It doesn’t take long to take Aerin back to bed.
She still refuses a shower and any kind of food or drink.
She’s in shock so I don’t press her.
This time after tucking her up, I sit beside her on the bed and remain there, staring out the window at the darkening sky until Aerin’s breathing softens and she slips off to sleep.
I don’t move for another thirty minutes until I’m sure she’s truly asleep.
Back in the living room, Pidge tosses me a bottle of water. “Tell me everything.”
I ease back down onto the couch with one eye on the door and begin.
From my first job as an enforcer for the family all the way up to the restaurant and today’s attack.
The only thing I leave out is those ninety seconds in the shower where I made Aerin see stars.
