Page 100 of Moth to a Flame

“I understand.”

“Good girl.” I’m out of the car, hand on the trigger. “Whoever you are, you just signed your own death sentence.”

“Nice to see you too, motherfucker.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Regan

My body breaks outin shivers as soon as Landon slams the driver’s door.

When he looked me dead in the eye, I put on a brave face. Gave him the performance of a lifetime.

This wasn’t be the first time I faked bravery.

After Lester left me to die in Central Park, I finally managed to reach for my phone that’d been discarded somewhere on the grass and called 9-1-1. That’s right. Before I called my family.

I figured they’d have a better shot at tracking me down. Not to mention the idea of my family finding me like this horrified me. I couldn’t do this to them.

Mom, Dad, and Rosemary were called to the hospital by one of the paramedics since I fainted on the way there. I met them after hours of surgery, and I smiled.

Though I hadn’t felt any physical pain, thanks to the painkillers, my heart was a black, gaping hole. Images upon images of Lester and the horrible things he’d done to me kept playing on repeat in my head, and I smiled. For them.

They needed me to fake it.

They never said it or anything. They just cried and broke down anyway and I smiled throughout the whole time. I smiled at the hospital then at home when I was surrounded by them.

I had to.

The tears came at night when I was alone or on my therapist’s couch. Never before them.

For Landon, I tried harder. The person waiting for us could’ve been sent by Lester or Tripp. An assassin. I couldn’t send him out there worrying about me.

My shivers worsen with each step he takes.

Without Landon, I don’t know what would happen to me. I wouldn’t survive this.

This isn’t about being dependent on him as much as it is about my love for him.

I watch him and his proud, confident gait as he heads toward the dark silhouette at the gates. His hold of his gun is firm, his arm is ramrod straight.

I’d dive straight into hell with him if he died.

He lowers the gun, shoving it into the back of his jeans.

“What are you doing, Landon?” I whisper to the empty car.

Then he waves back at me, anit’s okaygesture.

He recognizes the man, and he isn’t a threat.

My relieved exhale comes out loud and fast. So fast that it quickly turns into a cough. Fuck.

Over the last few days, I’ve grown to be this carefree woman I don’t recognize.

I’m nervous about Lester’s parole, but when I’m around Landon the fear isn’t as debilitating as it used to be.

I’ve been too flippant about well, basically life.

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