Page 125 of Wicked Devotion
“Check them for what, darling?”
“Long hair. Beard. Leather jacket. Tall,” Ruby mumbles, hissing as she tries to move her hand to touch her face.
“Peanut, half of them fit your description,” I say, while Sam tries to get her to stay still.
Ruby groans, more pained than annoyed, as she throws her head back against Sam’s chest. It seems as if she remembers something when she looks at the fire and the embers flying throughthe night.
“Ash,” she mumbles as the wind shifts, making some of them land on her arm.
Holding the back of her head, Sam turns to face Rockwell.
“ER,” Rockwell mouths and Sam nods, setting a quick pace as we walk to our cars.
I keep checking on Charlie, who hasn’t said a single word since our brief conversation earlier, and who slows down every few steps to look back at the burning building. It’s only a matter of time until the dam breaks, and a few minutes later, it does.
As I overhear the whispered but still heated argument between Rockwell and Charlie, I tap Max’s shoulder.
“You should try talking to him.”
If anyone can calm Charlie down right now, it’s Max. Conscience and all that. The captain means well, but he doesn’tgethim. He’s too used to all of this, just like Sam and I.
“Are you okay staying with Logan for a moment?” Max asks Lily, checking the cut on her chest with a frown.
“Of course,” she answers, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to let go of her hand again.
Max nods before he walks over to Rockwell and Charlie and as Lily and I reach our car, I lean against the door and pull her close.
She snuggles up against me, and weeks ago, I would have pushed her away. It feels like a lifetime ago. Because now, all that seems to matter is feeling her close to me; warm, breathing, and full of life.
“I realized something when I stood face to face with death,” Lily says, tilting her head up to look at me. “Again, by the way. I hope this isn’t going to be a regular occurrence.”
“It won’t be,” I say, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “I promise.”
“I love you.” Lily doesn’t give me a chance to react,pushing my balaclava up to press her lips against mine. “And if you want to kill me now because I said the big, bad L-word…”
“Never,” I murmur, pulling the mask off before cradling her face. “Lily, I don’t know what I would have done if we lost you.”
She seems to sense the war going on inside me, where my heart is fighting with my head for the right to let the words out.
“You don’t need to say it back,” Lily says as Max joins us.
With a relieved sigh, he tugs the balaclava off of his head, shoving it in the back pocket of his pants. His hair is a mess so I reach out to fix it, and once I’m done and put my hand around the back of Max’s neck, he thanks me with a bright smile. One that does crease the corners of his eyes, and just like that, my sunshine came back in the dark of night.
Max gives Lily a kiss on her forehead, taking her hand in his.
“We know what we mean to you,” she says, putting her free hand on my chest. “Because actions speak even louder than words.”
45
MAX
“Are you really sure you don’t want to come with us?” I ask Lily, who is busy working on her newest DIY project.
Focused, she tapes off parts of the wall before she gets up, walking across the still mostly barren living room over to me with a smile on her face. I’m glad Lily and I are responsible for turning this house into a home because Logan was done with furniture shopping the moment we had a couch and a huge TV.
During the last two weeks, Lily asked for permission every single time she wanted to buy something for the house. It took a while–and a little lecture from Logan–for her to understand that we just want her to be happy and comfortable. The sole thought of her not being allowed to express herself in the past hurt, but now Logan and I get to see how her face lights up every time she comes up with a new idea to decorate the place. Of course I’m always up to help her with her little projects, and it’s not because I’m scared of her playing around with a saw. I just love spending time with her.
“It’s boy’s night, so go and have fun. Tell Charlie I said hello if he’s coming, okay?”
