Page 123 of Heathens

It’s kind of her, and I’m a little surprised.

She’s processing her own transformation right now, and she’s been a bit hard to read. One minute there’s a look of bitterness in her eyes, and the next she’s all smiles and jokes. There’s no going back now, and she knows it. She’s just doing the best she can with what she has.

Sofie squeezes my hand, and we walk in silence until we hit the top floor where Rene’s bedroom sits beyond a set of double-doors, along with a guest room on either side. Ruby has already picked out a place to sleep for the night, and pulls her door open.

“You comin’, Sof?”

Her fingers interlace with mine.

“I think I’m going to stay with Dominic tonight.”

Ruby grins as I turn to Sofie with a frown. In the short time since Rene’s death, she’s been distant. I didn’t expect her to get down on her knees and thank me for all of this, but even this level of kindness is surprising. It’s hard to figure out if it’s pity or something more.

“Well, as long as you’re sure.”

Sofie smiles.

“I am.”

“Alright, let’s get some sleep, shower, and we’ll head to Nox tomorrow night.” I hold my head a little higher, fully aware I’m merely repeating the words of a woman who seems far more capable of leadership than I am. “We can meet in the back office and come up with a plan.”

“Hostile takeover?” Ruby asks.

I grin.

“Anything’s possible.”

Sofie runs a hand through her hair.

“What the fuck are we going to tell the staff?” She asks.

Ruby shrugs.

“That they’re going to have to adapt to a change in management style. It’ll be the same old chaos, just with a little twist.” She wiggles her eyebrows and gives us a little wave. “I’ll see you lovebirds tomorrow night.”

“Goodnight, Ruby,” I whisper.

“Night, Dominic. Oh, and be good to my girl. Remember, I’ve still got Little Miss 9mm.”

We walk into our room, completely pristine in contrast to the brutalized mess we left downstairs.

“Fuck, I’m exhausted.”

“You’re also covered in blood,” she says matter-of-factly. “You need a shower. It’ll make you feel better.”

“I don’t know about that.”

It’s not just the grief, the guilt is worse. It’s all catching up with me. I should have seen the signs, should have planned everything better.

I should have done a lot of things.

My apology lodges itself in the back of my throat, drying it out as we step into the bathroom. Sofie closes the door and turns to me, unbuttoning my shirt and pushing it aside to check the wounds on my chest. She takes my broken arm out of the makeshift sling, gingerly inspecting it as our eyes meet. She smiles.

“You’ll live, cowboy.”

I grunt, trying to keep myself from falling apart.

“I really am sorry about Theo. I know he was like family.”

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