Page 136 of Fracture

“Guera,” he breathes, watching as Stella moves around the bed to his other side. “You’re here.”

“Of course I am.” She sits beside him and reaches out to take his hand. “Doctors gave me the all-clear, I can go home.”

“That’s fantastic!” Dylan smiles widely at her. “And you’re alright, really?”

“Yeah, I am. He did say no vigorous sex for six weeks, but I think we’ll be able to hold off, huh?” She leans over and plants a soft kiss on Dylan’s lips. “Have to wait for you two knuckleheads to get out of here anyway.”

Dylan huffs out a laugh, then winces as he sucks in a sharp breath.

“Easy now,” I say, getting to my feet and stroking his forehead. “Does it hurt? Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine.” He exhales through gritted teeth, and gives me a strained smile. “I promise, I’m fine. It just aches.”

“I’m not surprised, considering they had to reconstruct your whole lung,” Stella says with a shake of her head. She looks over at me, and bites her lip, collapsing down into her chair and putting a hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry, I-” She breaks off and covers her face with her hands, and her shoulders start to shake.

Dylan looks at me with helpless alarm, before I scramble to my feet and round the bed to put my arm around Stella’s shoulders.

“Hey, baby girl, come on, it’s over. It’s over now.”

“I was so scared.” She sobs into her hands. “I was so scared that I was going to lose both of you.” Her hands drop from her face, and she scowls up at me. “Don’t you ever do that again. When you say it’s over, you better fucking mean it.”

My eyes flash to Dylan’s, before I smile down at Stella and cup her jaw gently with my hand. “I mean it, baby girl. It’s all over now.”

I should let this go. I know I should. But the words Gloria scrawled in that fucking ledger won’t let me go. Reading what those men did to Stella, their sick requests… I don’t know if I can let it all be over.

The police have that ledger for now. And I hate myself that I can’t promise Stella with my entire heart and soul that it’s truly over. Because if I ever find a way to get my fucking hands on that list, I don’t think I can let it be over.

CHAPTER 34

STELLA

A cool breezeblows through the golden leaves as I walk the path down the side of the modest white house. Six steps lead down to a door with a giant biohazard sign on it, and I knock three times. I wait for a moment, hearing movement inside, which then stops. After 30 seconds or so, the door remains closed, so I knock again, louder this time.

“I’m not here!” The man’s voice is tight with irritation.

“Well, maybe you can be here for just a minute, this won’t take long!”

There’s shuffling, and suddenly the door flies open to reveal a skinny young man with scruffy dark hair, lip rings, and a thick spider tattoo around his neck. He gazes at me curiously with his dark brown eyes, tonguing one of the lip rings before his mouth lifts in a smile.

“I’d say I’m happy a pretty girl finally made it down here, but I don’t think you’re here for me, are you?”

I shrug, lightly. “Sorry, Flea, not today.”

“Damn.” He steps to the side and gestures into his apartment. “Would the lady like to come in? Excuse the mess, I wasn't expecting company. Though I am impressed you managed to find me.”

“Hmm, I have my ways.”

I step over the threshold, into a dimly lit room. It’s hardly messy, everything neatly lined and orderly, the only sign of any mess is some diet coke cans lined up on the window sill beside the desk. The desk that holds three enormous computer screens, where lines of code flip wildly and location pins move on maps.

“I hope I haven’t interrupted, you seem busy,” I say as I turn to face Flea, who closes the apartment door and leans back against it.

“It’s fine. For you, I’ll make time.”

“Well, thanks.” I sigh, shifting on my feet. “It’s sort of strange, you know so much about me and I know nothing about you.”

“That’s kind of the point of a hacker,” Flea replies with a crooked grin. “Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me.”

“That’s kind of what I’m banking on.”

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