Page 80 of Scar

“From what I heard, Tally, while we were in Pennsylvania,” Simone said carefully, like she was worried she was about to hurt Tally’s feelings, “you might noteverbe able to.”

Tally knew that too from her conversations with Sissy. “I know.” She swallowed hard. “I know that he might not be able to touch me and I know that I’ll never be able to see him—and I don’t care.” She lifted her other hand to wipe at her suddenly tear-filled eyes. “I’m not sure if I can explain it and I’m not sure you can understand because you have all your senses. But when you’re missing one, the others are heightened. You learn that there is more than one way to feel, to learn, to connect. Scar and I,” her voice cracked, “weconnected, which I know sounds crazy because we’ve never even held hands, but it’s true. I can’t really describe it, and believe me, I know how corny it sounds to say ‘we connected with our souls’, but that’s really the best explanation I’ve got.”

“It’s more than that, Tally. I know you say he’ll never harm you, but heisdangerous. Just look at what he did to Gordon Tremont and his men.”

Tally nodded. “I know. And maybe I’m a little fucked up in the head because I don’t care. He didn’t slaughter innocents. He didn’t kill without purpose or cause. He killed toprotect me.”

“But he stillkilled,” Simone pressed. “He’s a killer.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Si, humanskill. Look at our entire history as a race. Humans are killers. A spider comes into our home; what do we do? We kill it.Wego into the river and someone gets attacked by an alligator. What do we do? We go kill a handful of them in hopes of getting the one who was only defendinghishome. Humanskill, and don’t even get me started on what we’re doing to nature. It’s senseless and it’s cruel. The world is a dangerous place. Scarisa killer, but he’s not a mindless one. And there’s something fundamentally comforting knowing that he would doanythingto protect me. Just as I would for him,” Tally confessed.

Simone was silent for a long time. Tom shifted in his chair but was keeping quiet while Tally and Simone spoke.

“I can’t stop you,” Simone finally said. “Hell, I don’t even really want to. I’m worried. There’s a lot…differentabout him and I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. He can’t even talk, Tally.”

Tally smiled at her best friend, an indescribable, life-altering emotion in her swelling within her chest. “Then I’ll talk for him, Si. He’ll be my eyes and I’ll be his voice.”

* * *

Tally’sentire life was packed up. She shipped certain things up to Sissy’s address and the rest was in suitcases in the lobby of her apartment complex next to her as she stood waiting for her rideshare. Sissy had called her early that morning to tell Tally that “today was the day”. They were getting Scar out, come hell or high water.

She’d been a nervous wreck all morning and the fact that she was about to get on an airplane for the first time in her life was not helping. She knew that she couldn’t call anyone in the club or risk distracting them, but damn, she hated not being in the know.

Her plane was due to depart in a little over three hours. She didn’t know what the club was doing or what her father’s reaction would be when he discovered what they’d done, but she knew she did not want to be around to witness it.

It disturbed her that Tally was not sure whether her father would hurt her when he learned what she’d done.

Tally’s two large suitcases would have to be checked when she arrived at the airport. Not knowing if it would be harder to get through security with Scar’s cut on her person, it was folded up inside her small carry-on. Her ticket identified her as a blind person and her cane was a medical assistance device.

A horn sounded outside her apartment building. Tally grabbed the handles of her large suitcases and headed out. Her rideshare was early.

But Tally froze as soon as she got onto the sidewalk. “What are you doing here?”

“You really think I’m going to let my bestie move several states away without at least going with her to make sure she’s settled?” Simone demanded. Behind her, Tally heard the rumble of Tom and Simone’s minivan as well as the voices of Tom, Amelia, and Grayson.

Tally continued forward, her heart pounding. “You’re serious?”

“Tickets are bought, kids are packed. I’m as serious as I can be.”

Tally’s breath hitched as she threw her arms around her best friend. “Thank you!” Though her exclamation was whispered, it was no less powerful.

The minivan’s trunk opened and Tally sensed Tom coming around the back. “Let’s get going,” he told the women. “Airport traffic is going to be a bitch and it’ll take us a minute to get through security with the kids.”

Simone directed Tally to the front passenger seat while she got in the back with the kids and Tom put Tally’s suitcases and carry-on bag in the trunk.

Tally couldn’t get the grin off of her face. “I can’t believe you guys are coming with me! I need to cancel my rideshare.”

“Give me your phone,” Simone instructed.

Tally handed it over. “What did you mean by ‘the least’ you can do?”

Tom got into the driver’s seat. After clicking on his seatbelt, Tally felt the car start forward as he merged back into traffic.

“Tell her, Tom,” Simone encouraged as Simone canceled Tally’s rideshare.

“Keys and I have been talking. Did you know he owns a security business?”

“I didn’t,” Tally said honestly. She still had her hand stretched out behind her waiting for her phone.

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