Page 107 of Affliction

“You should get some rest,” he told me.

“I don’t think I could sleep with all this going on around me,” I admitted.

“Should we take you to your room?” Terry asked. His eyebrows did a suggestive waggle, and I giggled. “I know, not the right time for a joke like that, but I’m glad I could make you laugh.”

“Terry,” I began. Clearly, we were going to have to do this now. He looked racked with guilt, and I didn’t want him to feel that way. This wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t brought Chad back, and he hadn’t failed. This was just the type of man Chad was, and he needed to know that.

“Let’s just have that conversation later,” he said, his eyes downcast. He was still beating himself up.

“With you there or not, he was always going to find a way. Please don’t blame yourself. Please don’t beat yourself up anymore.”

Terry shook his head and forced a smile—the kind that didn’t meet his eyes.

“Yeah, well, you have some real protection now.” Terry’s phone buzzed. “Saved by the ring.”

With that, Terry got up to take the call, and I laid my head back on the pillow. I hoped to relax and calm my nerves while the calvary that Catherine had called in prepared to keep my apartment safe, and from what I could hear, prepared a battle plan.

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