Page 93 of Deceptive Lies

Hooking a finger under Willow’s chin, Cooper nudged until she lifted her face and looked up at him. “I’ll be right there beside you every second.”

The anxiety melted away, and Willow gave him a small smile. “Good.”

“The only thing that changed is that I somehow respect and admire you even more,” he told her. “Unless anything has changed for you?”

Her brows knitted together. “Why would it?”

“Because I almost didn't get to you in time.” There was no way to wipe away the knowledge of what would have happened if he and his brothers hadn't shown up when they had, and he still had no idea what might have happened to her because they were delayed.

“Did you get to me as quickly as you could?”

“Damn straight.”

“Then nothing has changed for me. I just want to go home with you,” she said with a sleepy sigh as her eyes fluttered closed.

Home with you.

No words had ever sounded so perfect.

July 18th

6:55 A.M

Today was the day.

After three days of working on her article every chance she got between doctor’s visits, debriefings with agencies where she shared everything she knew about the professor, and sleeping, today was the day her article was released into the world.

She was proud of it, not only had she managed to gather the intel she needed to ensure that the professor would have to pay for his crimes, but she’d actively participated in making him pay and managed to write an article she was pleased with. True to his word, Cooper had helped, and there was a chance she may have even been a little bossy with him while he did so.

More than that, her trip to Egypt hadn't just ticked professional goals, she’d also met the man she was already convinced she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

Right now, he was asleep beside her in his bed at his house. Since her apartment was tiny and she used it only as a base while she spent most of her time traveling and working on articles, they’d kind of set up at his place. Cooper hadn't wanted her to be alone and she wasn't all that keen on the idea of being without him anyway, so when she’d been discharged from the hospital it had felt natural to come there.

Everything with Cooper felt natural. It was like finding a piece of yourself you hadn't even realized was missing.

Just having him by her side had made these last couple of days so much easier. He’d been right there with her at the hospital while she was poked and prodded, her arm x-rayed and casted, tests and scans performed, and fluids and antibiotics pumped into her. And he’d been right there with her while she told her story over and over again, repeating everything from what first put the professor on her radar to how she’d taken his life.

Maybe that hadn't quite sunk in yet.

While she knew it was the right thing to do, it had saved her life and those of Charlie Team, it still settled uneasily in her stomach to know she had killed someone.

“You're thinking too loudly,” Cooper grumbled from beside her as he rolled her over so she was lying on top of him. “It’s too early for thinking.”

That made her giggle. “It’s almost seven in the morning. I bet you get up hours before this to do PT.”

“No PT today though, honey, just you and me, and that means it’s too early for thinking.” His serious gray eyes looked up at her. “You doing okay? Today’s the day your article comes out.”

“I’m doing all right,” she assured him, and it was mostly true.

Willow wasn't naïve enough to think there weren't going to be bad days coming. So far, she’d had enough to do to keep her mind occupied so it didn't wander, but sooner or later, it was bound to creep toward darker thoughts. Small, hot, dark cells, and fists and feet striking her body, all of those things would have to be processed, but for the moment, she was as good as she could be given the circumstances.

“I’m mostly talked out though,” she added. Cooper had insisted on making sure she didn't keep anything bottled up, encouraging her constantly to talk about whatever she was feeling whether it be anger, fear, helplessness, or anything else. He’d shared his own emotions with her and reminded her regularly that keeping things trapped inside would lead to problems later on.

“What do you want to do then? Want to celebrate today with a big breakfast? Or we could call my brothers and sister, see if they want to come over and hang out? We could go out and do something just for fun, or we could just stay inside and chill out, you definitely deserve that. Whatever you want, honey, today is your day.”

How she’d spend the rest of the day Willow had no idea.

What she’d spend the next hour doing she knew for sure.

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