Page 52 of Sully

We passed on the steps.

Hearing me, Luna gave me a little nod, then climbed off the bed she was sitting on next to Bonnie.

Callow made his way down from the glass room, giving me a concerned look. I nodded to the stairs, and he silently made his way up.

“Heya, honey. How you doing?” I asked, sitting down next to Bonnie, who was picking at one of her cuticles with herthumbnail. “Everything’s okay,” I told her when she didn’t answer. “They were just little fireworks,” I added as she sniffled. “Hey,” I said, my voice soft as I reached for her. “Hey, you’re okay.”

I pulled her until she was draped over my lap, her head against my chest.

She wasn’t actively crying, but the tension in her body said that was only because she was fighting hard not to.

“You thought we were getting shot up, huh?” I asked, getting a nod from her. “Yeah, me too,” I said. “Look, I’m gonna give you another option, okay?”

“Option for what?”

“Safety. The club has an ally. Actually, it’s practically an extension of the club: Hailstorm.”

“What is it?”

“It’s… an organization. But also a survivalist camp on the hill. You might have seen it. High fences. Giant, winding structure made from shipping containers…”

“With all the dogs?” she asked, making my lips curve up. Because of course she would notice the dogs.

“Yeah, that’s the place. Anyway, when shit gets dicey around here, sometimes the girls and the kids go and hang at Hailstorm instead of around here. It’s an option if you want to know there will be no more booms or bangs.”

“No.”

“Maybe give it some thou—“

“No,” she cut me off. “I want to be here… with you.”

Fuck, those words made my stomach drop. In a weird, appealing way I’d never experienced before.

“I know. I’m kind of fucking amazing, huh?” I asked, dragging a chuckle out of her. “For the record, I’d rather have you here too. I got big plans for you.”

“Big plans?” she asked, tipping her head up to look at me.

“Well, I need to show you the playground plans. Introduce you to Flip Cup. Show you the glass room. Then, when we’re off lockdown, we have clubs to go to, parties to plan, movies to see…”

“With me?” she asked, unsure.

“Of course. I mean, I’m down for a trip to some cool bookstores too. Hear there’s an epic one in the city.”

“And you want to go with me?”

“Under one condition.”

“What condition?”

“You lead me to the spiciest books.”

“I think I can manage that,” she said, and I heard the smile in her voice, knew her panic had dissipated.

“But tonight, I have a different plan.”

“What kind of plan?”

“It’s a secret. I figure, by the time you bake Dezi’s bread, and we have some dinner, I could have it all ready for us.”

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