“Everything, and I have since the Fourth of July.” He tips his head to the side innocently, and for a moment, I see a flash of Briar’s personality in him. He looks just like his dad, and looking at him right now, it’s hard not to think back at the past.
Kaden is a good kid, though, and if he’d wanted to do something malicious with the whatever information he has, he would have done it by now.
“Ok?”
He nods. “It’s weird, but you make her happy, so that’s all that matters, because God knows how much she deserves that.” Kaden lets out a shaky breath before his face turns serious. “If you hurt her, I will bury you in an unmarked grave, and Briar will be next to you. I’m fucking tired of people thinking they can walk all over her and that nothing will happen because of it. Just know that I look really fucking good in orange, and I’m willing to face life in prison for her, and there will be a fucking smile on my face in my mugshot. Thanks for calling me,Uncle B.”
Kaden turns and heads back into the house without another word. I’m not sure if I should be happy or upset.
I’m happy, though, because she deserves someone like that in her corner. Someone who can be her friend without a romantic relationship attached to it.
I feel slightly rattled by the revelation that someone else knows about us, but it’s not bad, it’s almost…freeing.
I take a deep breath and collect myself before heading back inside to where Kaden has Mocha in his arms, and he’s laughing at something that Sloane says.
I watch them in the doorway for a few minutes before smiling to myself. I would never hurt her; she’s everything to me, and it’s about time that everyone fucking knows it.
37
SLOANE
Kaden left two days ago, and now that I’m alone, I realize something: it’s been days since I saw Beckett.
Ok, so maybe that’s an exaggeration. But he comes home late, eats, showers, goes to bed, sleeps for only a few hours, and then gets up before I wake up.
Imisshim.
More than I ever thought it was possible to miss a person.
The city is in chaos, right now it seems. There is a massive manhunt for The Ghost Killer, who we are now certain is Gideon. Who happens to be the person who was a fucking creep and started my downward spiral. It’s really comforting to know that he was killing girls in the area, and Beckett refuses to tell me whether that day was just a fluke or if I was his next target.
I’m inlockdown moderight now, as Beckett calls it, confined to either the house or to the station with him. No more runs, and under no circumstances am I to leave the house without telling him.
It’s not all terrible, I mean, he’s been helping me learn self-defense. In my free time, I have been learning how tobox, mostly by watching YouTube videos and by using the old punching bag that is in the workout room in the basement.
To add to the chaos, there are also two missing kids that are totally separate cases from The Ghost Killer case.
Beck’s been working doubles and barely coming home long enough to sleep. I feel bad for him. He’s stretching himself thin, but he’s the lead detective on the missing little girl case, so of course, he’s throwing himself in deep. He has to, it’s just how he is.
He’s also been worried about me, checking in as much as he can, even though I told him I was doing better. I really am. Kaden being here really helped. We talked, and talked, and talked. I needed someone to just listen. He’spissed. I’m really hoping that he doesn’t go and do something stupid. I need my big brother.
I’m slowly digesting all the information I have about Martin. It still really fucking hurts, and there’s a hole in my chest the size of a planet that has opened up. But I actually feel ok now.
I’ve been going to the shelters and keeping myself busy by helping others. And if I’m not at the shelters, I’m focusing on my garden, getting the plants ready to harvest.
But at the end of the day, all I want is Beckett. I miss him so much. I never thought it was possible to miss a person as much as I’ve missed him over the last few days.
He doesn’t even work from his home office, just stays at the precinct the whole time while Mocha and I pout and wait for him to get home.
It’s kinda pathetic, actually, but it’s a good reminder to never leave Mocha by himself for a long period of time. I hate not having my person.
Yeah,my person.I realized it awhile ago, but if this week has shown me anything, it’s that I want him in my life. I’m sad if Idon’t get to see his handsome face every day, touch him, or kiss him when I’m awake.
I try to wait for him, but I get tired. I sleep in our bed, usually snuggled up in one of his shirts, because it all smells like him.
Call me a weirdo, but I’ve also started using his body wash. It’s not nearly as good for my skin as the one I normally use, but I’m desperate.
I knew what I was doing when I put on the dress. I’d picked it out when we went shopping the other day.
