Page 217 of Black Bird

Something in his chest tightened. “You’re glad?”

“I am. Regardless of what mistakes you made, I know what kind of person you really are. Hell, I’ve been trying to convince Wren of that for two years.” She smiled at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “All bullshit aside … I—thank you. For doing what you did. I know after getting shot trying to protect somebody, it seems really stupid to say, but … please don’t hurt her, Brent. Promise me you won’t hurt her. I’d really hate to have toactuallykill you.”

He winced as he huffed a deep laugh, pressing his hand into his still tender belly. “Honestly, I would be more worried about the opposite. I think we could agree on that.”

“You’d be right.” There was a long stretch of silence between them, and Sarah broke it finally as she stepped towards him. “Want me to help you back into bed?”

Brent threw a palm up. “No, no … you’re good. I, um … think I need to sit just a little bit longer.” His eyes dipped momentarily to his magazine and Sarah snorted. He lifted his eyes back to hers. “He’s growing on me. The detective?”

“You’re full of shit.”

“No, I mean it. Not just because—because I just made out with your best friend.” He laughed softly, heat gracing his cheeks. “I think you’re with who you should be, Sarah. For what it’s worth, you never looked at me that way, and … you seem really happy. Evenheseems like he’s changed. You kinda have that effect.”

Sarah smirked. “I do, don’t I?”

He kept his smile and lowered his head. “You do. I can tell he loves you. The real deal. I think I knew it a while back, actually. I can understand it … you know, as a man.”

“There must be some kind of bro-code I’m missing here. Athan said that exact same shit about you not long ago.”

“Did he?”

“Men are so strange. Utterly exhausting.” She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets, and he looked up at her red shirt, drawing his brows together. Sarah looked down, and then back to him. “What?”

“Santa’s dirty bitch?” Brent grinned, shaking his head.

She shrugged. “Did you expect anything else? I’m getting in touch with my Christmas spirit.” She turned and put a hand on the door handle. “You know … I wasn’t the one sitting in a hospital room with a boner, and sucking face with a redheaded cyclops while she sat on your jingle balls …you dirty bitch.” Her wink was scandalous, and he cowered in bashfulness. “Happy Christmas, Brent.”

He smiled genuinely and nodded. “Happy Christmas, Sarah.”

Ten minutes they’d been bickering back and forth about Wren’s hotheaded, mouthy mother. The fact that they’d caught her getting fresh with Stratford surprisingly hadn’t come up at all. It wasn’t really a surprise, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t shocked to find them lip-locked in a hospital room. When they got close to his old building, Wren finally realized where they were.

“Wait—I needed to go by my place. Grab some clothes.” She pressed a palm to the window.

Sarah looked over at him and Athan smiled at her, taking her hand. “Why don’t we go see Rhaena first? She’s been dying to put some responsibility back where it belongs regarding your cat.” Wren inhaled sharply and leaned her chin over the seat.

“Is he doing okay?”

“He’s obese, Wren. It’s kind of pathetic.” Athan’s smile stretched wide. Wren smacked him in the arm.

“The only one allowed to call him fat is me. Watch your fangs,Blood Daddy.”

“I missed you too.” Athan chuckled, pulling into the parking structure.

They piled out of the elevator, and Wren fidgeted with her tights as they stopped in front of his old apartment door. When she looked up, she lowered her brows, and her good eye caught Rhaena’s door instead. “Are we not going to Rhaena’s?”

“We gotta grab something first,” Sarah winked. Athan slipped the key into the door and opened it. It was pitch black inside, his old curtains serving immaculate purpose in the harsh noon sunlight. They stepped inside and closed the door before flipping on the lights. Denver meowed and darted towards Wren, bashing into her legs and twining his pudgy body around them. Her mouth dropped open, and she picked him up, wide-eyed as she looked around the apartment.

“Oh my—oh, my God.” Her fingers pressed against her lips as she inched into the living room, finding her entire apartment moved in. She shot her face back toward them. “What did you do?!”

“He … uh … sort of moved in with me.” Sarah smiled, shrugging her shoulders as Athan slid an arm around her. “We figured maybe you wouldn’t wanna go back to the old place. That you’d feel safer being next door to Rhaena. Plus … you know, the whole sleeping on her couch thing had to be getting old by now.”

“You didn’t move out because of me—”

“No.” Athan shook his head. “Sarah offered, I accepted. Couldn’t let an opportunity like this go to waste. Rhaena wasn’t standing for anybody else moving in next door, other than you. Everything just seemed to make the most sense this way. It’s yours, if you want it.” He dangled the keys from his finger.

“Are you kidding? Of course I do!” Wren’s eyes teared up, and she stormed forward, hugging them both. “Thank you … holy shit, thank you.”

“Merry Christmas, bitch.” Sarah kissed her cheek. Athan smiled, awkwardly hugging her and handing her the keys. The door to the apartment opened with a soft knock, and Rhaena peeked in, Jenkins right behind her.

---