Page 165 of No Good Fight

My body keeps checking anyway.

There’s no point lying to her after everything that happened this morning. “I’m scared.”

She doesn’t rush to tell me there’s nothing to be scared of.

That’s one of the reasons I love her.

I look at our hands instead of her face. “I know he’s dead. Remy called. They’ve got Mason Ridge locked down, and Mrs. Vance is okay, just a little dehydrated. Casey went down to see her himself because neither of us trusted the phrase ‘doing well’ without details.”

Alex’s mouth curves faintly. “How is she?”

“Pissed off. She tried to leave her room because she wants to see you, and somebody took her cane away and refused to bring a wheelchair.”

“That seems unsafe for the hospital staff.”

“It does.”

Her smile lasts a few seconds before fading.

I drag my thumb across the edge of one bandage. “The doctor says you’re going to be okay. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re here. Alive. Breathing.”

Alex reaches across the small gap between us and rests her fingers over mine.

“I’m here.”

My eyes close briefly.

Those were almost the same words she gave me on the floor at Mason Ridge while her blood was on my hands and Preston was laughing behind me.

“I know.”

She squeezes gently.

“I’m going to be afraid for a while,” I admit. “Probably annoying too.”

“More annoying?”

“Significantly.”

“That’s concerning.”

I turn my hand beneath hers until our fingers link. “I’m trying not to make that your problem.”

She looks at me for a long moment. “You can tell me when you’re scared.”

“I just did.”

“Do it again next time instead of installing another twelve cameras.”

“Those are unrelated.”

“Ryder.”

“Mostly unrelated. But you can give them all ridiculous names if you want. I just…right now, I need you to know that my sanity needs them.”

She gives me that look, and some of the pressure in my chest finally eases. I bring her hand toward my mouth and kiss her fingers carefully.

“When they let you out of here, come home with me.”