Page 145 of The Good Girl

She opens her mouth to argue, but I squeeze her hand.

“He’s the president, Amity. He’s the one who has to make the tough calls. He didn’t know if he was going to walk in there and find me dead. He would never put you in that situation, and I’d never want him to.”

Her shoulders drop, some of her anger draining away. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it,” she whispers before she moves to lay down in the bed beside me.

G sits in the free chair and watches us both while Havoc remains by my side, silently guarding me.

“Citi’s really alive?”

I nod, feeling myself choke up. “She’s been through hell and back, Amity. I can’t even wrap my head around how he had her all this time. The things he must have done…” I choke out as Amity pulls me into her arms, and we cry together.

As glad as I am to have her home, safe and sound, there’s a part of me that wishes she’d died all those years ago. Not because I’m cruel, but because I’d give anything to have spared her the years of torment and abuse. I don’t know what to say or do. How do you move on from something like this?

“She survived all this time Pippin. That tells you just how strong she is. I’m not sure I could have done it. Fuck I’m in awe of her. Giving up would have been so fucking easy, but to live?” She shakes her head. “She’s a fucking warrior.”

“She really is. And you should see Star, Amity. She looks just like we did at that age.”

“Who’s sitting with them?”

“Ambros and Hannibal. I think she feels safe with them because they helped her get free.”

“Hannibal? Not many people can say they feel safe with him. It’s that dead-eyed glare of his that gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

My lips twitch at that. “I’m telling him you said that.”

She shrugs. “He won’t care. He lives to freak people out.”

“Knock knock,”

“Speak of the devil,” Amity mutters as Hannibal walks into the room.

“Hey Tink, how you feeling?”

“Honestly, I’m fine. I’m just waiting for the doctor to discharge me.”

“That’s good. You had us all worried for a minute there.”

“I had myself worried,” I admit. “How’s my sister doing?”

“She’s asleep right now, so’s the kid. Your father just turned up, but Ambros is sticking with her.” I nod and feel Amity squeeze me a little tighter.

“Any news on Probe?” Havoc sits forward at my question.

“I just passed the doctor. He’s out of surgery, but the next twenty-four hours will be touch and go. Have a little faith in him, Tink. The man is too fucking stubborn to die on anything other than his terms.”

“I know,” I whisper. It doesn’t stop me from feeling helpless.

“I’m going to head out now if you don’t need me, keep me updated about Probe.”

Havoc stands and holds out his hand for Hannibal to shake “Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary. You know that.”

He offers me a wink before heading for the door, stopping when I call his name.

“Hannibal?”

He turns to look over his shoulder at me. I try to tell him about Driller and what he said about Lola, but snap my mouth shut. If Lola wanted him to know, she’d have told him.

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