Turning toward me, Dane laces his arm around me and gazes down. “He’s going to find out, princess. You need to be ready for that, and so does he.” His eyes go to the door.
“Yeah, I know.”
But hopefully it will happen after things have calmed down with Darren and the Reapers.
“Come on, let’s go to bed.”
“What about Wes?” I worry my lip, fighting a smile.
“He can take the couch.” His lips come down on mine. “I want to hold you, Sadie, girl. I need to.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Wes is speaking to his mom in hushed tones when we enter the bedroom again. He looks up, offering me a small smile.
“Yeah, Mom. I know… No, as long as you’re okay. Okay, be safe. I love you… Yeah, bye.” He hangs up and runs a hand through his hair. “She’s okay.”
Relief sinks into me. “That’s good. Where does she think you are?”
“Staying at a friend’s. Dad is away for the night on business.” He notices the way Dane is holding me and smirks. “I guess I’m sleeping here then.” He points at the couch.
“You don’t have—”
“It’s cool. After the day we’ve had, I think I could sleep for a week.” He stretches out and shoves a cushion behind his head.
I ease out of Dane’s arms and go to him, kneeling down and brushing the strands of hair from his eyes. “Thanks, for today. For being here.”
Wes cups my face, brushing his thumb along my cheekbone. “I’m not going anywhere, princess.” He captures my mouth in a searing kiss, one that makes my heart flutter wildly. “Get some rest,” he breathes. “I’ll be right here.”
“Night, Pretty Boy,” Dane chuckles, but I hear the strain there. Today has taken its toll on everyone.
I hit the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. Dane turns on the bedside lamp and climbs into bed, patting the space beside him. I strip down to my underwear and slide in next to him, curling into his side. His arm wraps around me tightly, tucking me close to his body.
“You think you can sleep?” I ask him.
“Nah, not yet. But you should try.” He drops a kiss on my head. “Pretty Boy is right—we’re both here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
They’re the last words I hear before sleep claims me.
“No… no, stop. Please…”
I wake confused, my eyes straining against the darkness.
“It hurts… please, no. No!” Dane thrashes beside me and I lurch into action, grabbing his arms and trying to gently calm him.
“Dane,” I soothe, “you’re dreaming. Wake up, I’m here. I’m right here.”
His body succumbs to me waking him and his eyes flicker open. “S-Sadie?”
“You were having a nightmare again.”
“I… shit.” He heaves a ragged breath, dragging a hand down his face. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“And Pretty Boy?” Shame washes over him.
“Out like a light.” I glance over at Wes again, smiling at how cute he looks draped over the too-small couch.
“Want to talk about it?” I ask, tracing the planes of his chest with my finger.
“I-I don’t remember much.”
“Can I ask you something?” He nods. “The scars… do you think—”
“They’ve always been there,” he admits. “Ever since I can remember.”
“But you don’t know how you got them?”
“No. It’s like… it’s like there’s a wall in my mind. I can clearly recall arriving at the compound. I remember being so scared… Your dad was like this big terrifying monster, but I felt safe with him.”
“Who brought you here?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know. I see her face, but I don’t know her. That’s weird, right?”
“You were young.” And he had obviously sustained some kind of neglect or abuse.
My heart aches just thinking about it.
“You know you said you recognized Justin…”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking, and I can’t shake the feeling—”
“Uh, what’s happening?” Wes bolts upright, startling me.
“Relax, Pretty Boy,” Dane chuckles. “We’re all good.”
“What the— Dane? Sadie?”
I chuckle this time. “You should go back to sleep. It’s the middle of the night.”
“Y-yeah,” he croaks, barely lucid. Wes shifts and shuffles, getting comfortable, and then his gentle snores fill the room again.
Dane runs his nose along my jaw and steals a kiss. “He’d be useless in a crisis.”
“Oh, I don’t know. He’s handling everything okay so far.” I lay my hands on his chest, burrowing closer. “We’ll all come out of this alive, right?”
I refuse to allow the fear circling me to strike.
“I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep, Sadie, girl.” Dane’s voice wavers. “But know that we’ll do everything to catch that son of a bitch and make sure he pays for hurting you.”
“It’s not just me I’m worried about,” I admit. “I can’t lose you, Dane.” My hand trails up his neck and curves around his shoulder. “Any of you.”
“And you won’t. But this life, Sadie, girl… it’s not always smooth sailing.”
“I know.” God, I know that.
“Close your eyes. Tomorrow things are gonna get kinda crazy around here. We should sleep while we can.”
We hold each other like it might be the last time.
But I refuse to believe that, not when I’ve only just found them.
29
Dane
The room is still silent when I wake the next morning.
Despite my nightmare, I slept pretty well. Although, I already know that it won’t be well enough for what today is going to throw at us.
Reaching over, I grab my cell from my nightstand and look at the time.
Almost midday.
I guess the entire compound had a late one followed by a fitful night’s sleep if everyone is still tucked away in their rooms.
Pushing up on my elbow, I stare down at the woman sleeping beside me, my chest aching at the sight of her.
Sadie Ray Dalton.
As kids, she was my best friend. I arrived here at the compound with nothing but the clothes on my back. I had—still have—no clue where I came from or who left me here. I see the face of a woman sometimes, mostly in my dreams, but I can’t put a name to her or even a place. Just a soft, kind face of someone who I know looked after me.
She’s the only one there was, of that, I’m sure. The other faces I see aren’t as clear. They’re just dark blurs, hidden in shadows, hiding from me, just like my memories. What I remember all too well, though, is the pain and the smell. I remember there being a knife and a lighter. I remember feeling the slice of the sharp blade down my back, the trickle of blood as it leaked from the wound. I remember the burn of the flame on my ribs, the scorching metal from the lighter pressed into my skin.