Page 112 of Devil's Due

We stay like that, rocking gently in each other’s arms. Just taking comfort from each other, both of us lost in the thought we might never have seen each other again.

“No more marshals, Stevie,” I tell her at last repeating the words from before.

“I’m still going to testify.” Her jaw looks set.

I know her too well to ask her to do anything but. “I know that. And you will. We’ll figure out a way.”

There’s a knock at the door, it makes her jump. I glance across, then back to her. “You okay? I can tell whoever it is to get lost.”

Her shoulders straighten a fraction. “I’m alright.”

I open it surprised to see the Wretched Soulz LA prez standing there.

“How is she?” he mouths.

“She’s fine,” a voice calls out from behind me.

At his confused look, I tap my ear. “Excellent hearing.”

“Could be awkward.” He grins. Then, seeming surer of his welcome, steps inside.

“Hi, Stevie, I’m…”

“Stinger. I recognise your voice. Apparently, you hit my man.” I’m amused at how cross she sounds on my behalf.

His grin widens. “Good memory too. Yeah, that’s me, and I’d say I was sorry about that, but it saved you from a bullet. I’m the prez here.” His smile slips away. “You doing okay, darlin’? Those fuckers hurt you?”

“They would have,” I tell him grimly, “if we’d been minutes later.”

He inhales sharply, then lets it out on a sigh. The implications hitting home. He raises his chin. “I’m sure Beef here’s told you, but you’ve nothing to worry about from the Wretched Soulz. Just wanted to tell you that in person.”

“Thank you.”

Stinger looks at me uneasily. He can’t read if she’s really okay or not, and to be honest, neither can I. She looks so unusually uncertain. His glance goes from me, to her, then back. Finally he suggests, “You want to come down and get something to eat?”

I look back at Stevie, at her hands twisting in her lap. Then turn back to Stinger. “We’ll be down later.”

A look of commiseration crosses his face, a recognition that in the last day or so Stevie’s gone through hell. We might have been in time to stop the worst happening, but in her nightmares? I’d place good money she’ll dream we didn’t get there in time.

After the door closes behind him, Stevie calls me over to her side.

“What do you want, sweetheart?”

“For you to hold me, Beef. Just, hold me.”

Lying down on the bed, I manoeuvre her up against my side, pulling her into me. Tears of relief prick at the back of my eyes. Having her back with me has brought me to my knees. She’s myone.The woman I’ve been searching for all my life. Knowing how close I came to losing her…

“It’s alright, Beef. I’m here.” Her hand smooths over my head and then caresses my cheek. “I’m alright. I’m not going anywhere.” Rolling over, her arm drapes across my chest. “Is Max okay?”

“He’s doing fine. His leg’s about healed now. He’ll be over the moon to see you again.”

“I hated leaving him, but I didn’t know where I was going, and I couldn’t look after him. I knew you’d take care of him for me.”

I assure her I have. I tell her some of his antics, how he’s twisted Pyro around his paw and manages to scrounge scraps from him at the table. How he and Bitch are keeping a good distance from each other, and how tolerant he is of Theo pulling his ears—not that we encourage that of course. As I bring her up to date with news from the compound, slowly her eyes start to droop and close. Her arm, still draped over me, becomes heavy and drops away. It makes me realise she can’t have got much, if any, sleep in the past twenty-four hours.

As there’d been times I never thought I’d have her close to me again, I’m content simply to hold her.

A gentle rap on the door which she doesn’t hear. I slide out from under her and go to answer it, stepping into the hall and pulling it closed behind me.

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