Page 108 of Vain
“Thanks, man. So what did Blake say? He pissed?” We’d tried to keep him and Callie blissfully unaware of what was happening, but the guy was far too astute for that.
“Of course, he’s pissed. But not with you or Matilda. How the fuck this shit keeps happening, and yet the police—as per fucking usual—are spinning in a circle with their fingers up their asses, is dumbfounding.”
I rub my hand over my face. “She couldn’t even get one weekend of normalcy, Kellen. How many times can she get stomped on before she decides not to get back up?”
“I’m not sure Matilda knows how to quit,” he tells me quietly, his eyes moving back to her, respect shining in them. “We never know what we’re capable of, Aiden, until the worst happens.”
I look at him and nod because he knows that better than anyone.
“Anyway, Blake called ahead. He has us booked at a fancy hotel suite, which he’s paying for. I tried to argue, but he wouldn’t listen. I think he feels shitty that he can’t be here.”
“Don’t worry about it. As soon as Tilly realizes, she’ll foot the bill. She can be tenacious when she wants to be.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. Any news on Greyson?”
“Marley texted me to let me know he’s okay. They’re keeping him in for a few days due to smoke inhalation, but for the most part, he’s unhurt.”
“Oh, thank fuck. I know how much she cares about him.”
I wake her gently as the plane lands, hating the wounded look in her eyes. “We’re here. You want your hat and glasses?”
She nods and sits up, looking around. It’s like she’s here but not. Hopefully, once she visits Marley and Greyson and sees with her own eyes they’re good, she’ll be okay.
She slips on the glasses and hat I hand her before unfastening her seatbelt. We all changed before boarding the plane, so she’s dressed in jeans and an oversized hoodie. She pulls the hood up over her cap and looks up at me. “I’m ready.”
I throw on a cap and glasses of my own, just in case, and take her hand as we follow Kellen off the plane. Once again, Tilly is a big news story. The airport is teeming with paparazzi, but we push through and into a waiting cab. Kellen gives them the hotel name, and the driver takes off, just as people start banging on the car and shouting her name.
“Jesus, what the fuck?”
“Welcome to my world,” Tilly says sadly.
I cup her jaw and tilt her head back. “Marley texted me. Greyson’s okay. He has a little smoke inhalation so they’re keeping him in for a couple of days to monitor him.”
“He’s okay?”
“Yeah, baby, he’s okay.”
I hold her as she cries, her built-up emotion spilling over with relief. When we pull up to the hotel, Kellen pays the cab fare before checking us in.
None of us speaks as we stand in the elevator. What’s there to say? It feels like there’s no fucking end in sight to this mess.
When the elevator opens, Kellen leaves us so he can open the door and let us through. The place is nice. Really nice. But Kellen doesn’t say anything he usually would, and I know he’s worried about Tilly.
“The bellhop will be up with our bags in a minute. Why don’t you go take a shower, or better yet, have a soak in the tub? I’ll bring your things in when they get here.”
“I’ll order up some food,” Kellen adds. “Anything you fancy?”
She shakes her head. “I’m not hungry.”
“Gotta keep your strength up. You can’t listen to your body right now because it’s fucking with you, so listen to me instead. I’ll make it something light, like a sandwich or soup.”
She sighs but nods. “Soup sounds good.” She walks off, and I wait for her to be out of earshot.
I sit on one of the two sofas, throw my glasses and hat on the coffee table, and run my fingers through my hair. “I don’t know what to do, Kellen.”
“You’re already doing it. She’s in shock, that’s all.”
“Logically, I know that. I just feel so fucking helpless.”
