Page 129 of Heart Sick Hate

“What happened?” Dad walks in, Adam right behind him.

They both look from Echo and me to Rhett’s body.

“Find the keys to this thing.” I tug the chain.

Adam nods and starts looking around, but for the first time in my life, my father is frozen. Speechless. In shock.

Echo shivers, and I pull her into my grip tighter.

“Thank you for getting to me.” She starts to cry, sobs out big tears as she buries her face against my chest. “He was going to—”

She can’t finish her sentence, and I holdher through it.

“I’ll always get to you. I’ll always protect you. I promise. I’ll keep you safe.”

She looks up at me, blinking with tears streaming down her face, and she reaches up to cup my jaw in her hands.

“I was scared I’d die before I could say it,” she whispers, pulling me close through her cries. “I love you, Crew. I love you. And I need you.”

“I know.” I kiss her lips, her nose, her cheek, her jaw. “I love you too.”

She buries herself in my arms, and I rock her as she repeats it over and over. As Adam releases her ankle. As I carry her from the basement.

“I love you too, Echo. I’ll never let you go.”

38

Echo

“Welcome back!” Fel andMaren jump up from behind the counter, even though Jude and Sage are both standing against the wall shaking their heads at them.

“You guys were supposed to hide.” Fel walks over and pushes Jude’s shoulder.

He grabs her wrist and tugs her to him. “Not going to happen, Red.”

I can’t help but smile at the familiarity of being back at the shop, the one place that feels like home after everything that happened with Rhett.

It took a week before I could even get out of bed, and another couple before I felt strong enough to face anyone. Crew took care of me and brought me anything I needed, refusing to come to work the first week himself while we both processed everything that happened. He finally returned a couple of weeks ago, under the condition I’d still be there when he got home each day.

There’s nowhere I would rather be.

“I’m not backbackyet. But I’m working on it.”

Jude tips his chin up. “Take all the time you need. We’ve got this.”

Crew wraps his arms around me and pulls me close to his side, before planting a kiss on the top of my head. “Don’t worry, princess. Fel is keeping us all in check while you’re out.”

“Someone has to.” She rolls her eyes, but Jude pulls her in and whispers something in her ear that’s distracting.

“Well, it’s good to be back, even if it’s just to say hello. So thanks for the banner.”

A bright yellow sign hangs over one of the doorways, reading:Echo’s return to Hell.

I can’t help but grin at the reminder of the club Crew and I went to when we were in Oakland.

As if he senses my thoughts, he steps behind me and wraps me in his arms again. My safe place. And I sink my head back against his shoulder, holding onto that feeling.

After what happened, years of fears and traumas brewed to the surface. My unresolved issues with my mom and my past couldn’t be avoided any longer. For the first time, I’ve had to accept if I don’t face this, it will forever live inside me. And even if I’ll always be broken, it doesn’t mean I can’t soften the sharp edges.

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