Mum looks out of the room, searching for someone. “Let me go ask a doctor if you can eat.” She gets up, leaning down to kiss me. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Mum.”
Dad rests his elbows on the bed. “She meant me too, right?”
I chuckle at his downcast expression. “Dad, I love you too.”
“I know you do. But, girl, hear me when I say this, don’t do this shit again. You’re small, and you’re mighty, but you’re not invincible. Tonight could have gone seriously wrong, and call me selfish, but I’d rather you die old, in bed, and not over something that isn’t your fight.”
“Dad, you don’t mean that,” I remind him, giving him a pointed look. He always told us to fight for what we believed in, even if it was to save the lives of ants.
“No. Yes. No.” He shakes his head, groaning. “What you did was brave, yes, but, girl, it was dangerous. You could have come to any one of us for help.”
“I know,” I whisper, flashes of images running through my head of the knife JJ held.
“I’m pissed at you for not coming to me, but I understand your need to do this alone. I’m just so fucking glad you’re okay. If anything ever happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
“I’m sorry, Dad.”
“Is this a bad time?” Clayton asks, stepping through the curtain.
“Yes,” Dad answers.
I smile. “No.”
He heads over to the space where Mum was just standing, dropping a drink on the cabinet next to the bed.
Dad leans down, kissing my head. “I’ll go see what’s taking your mum so long.”
“You’re going to get food, aren’t you?”
He grins. “I burnt off my daily calories chasing after you through the woods. What did you expect? I’m a growing man.”
I chuckle. “You don’t count calories.”
“I don’t need to. I just know,” he tells me, turning to leave.
“Wait,” I call out. “I stabbed a guy. Will I be arrested?”
Dad frowns, walking back over to me and grabbing my hand. “No. It was self-defence. And even if it wasn’t, those fuckers have enough on their hands explaining a dirty cop.” Sighing, he gives my hand a squeeze. “And if it were me, I would have stabbed him in the chest. You kind of dropped the ball there.”
“Really?” Clayton mutters dryly.
“Are the police here?”
“They are. They need to ask a few questions, but Beau has got them to come back later in the day for a full statement.”
I nod, coughing. “Thanks for coming to save me.”
“I promised you I’d always be there, didn’t I?”
I grin. “You really did.”
He looks over at Clayton. “If you hurt her—”
“And I survive what she does to me, you’ll come after me. I know,” Clayton finishes. “I’ve been told that a lot tonight.”
Dad shakes his head. “Don’t fuck it up then,” he warns him, before glancing down at me. “Are you sure about him?”
I smile, knowing this is coming from the sensible side of my dad. “I am, Dad. Now go get me some food.”
“Do all of your family have violent tendencies?” Clayton asks when Dad leaves.
“Yes. I told you, we’re all crazy.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Sore, but good. As soon as my aunt turns up with my clothes, I’m going home. I want to put on my Captain America pyjamas and go to sleep. In my bed.”
“Yeah, about that… I’ll be staying with you. Your mum is outside now, ordering your brothers to go make up your old room at hers.”
I groan, closing my eyes. “She isn’t?”
He chuckles, lifting the blanket higher up my chest. “She is. And I don’t want to get in her bad books by demanding that I’ll be the one staying with you.”
“Chicken,” I tease.
His eyebrows shoot to his hairline. “Nope. Clever. I watched your dad tie a man to a tree today using ivy and rope from the back of Liam’s car. I’m never going to underestimate him again.”
“I still can’t believe you came for me,” I admit, feeling sleepy.
“I’ll always come for you,” he replies, pressing his lips to mine. “I have something for you.”
“Please tell me it’s chocolate cake with sprinkles.”
Laughing, he shakes his head before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. “I need you to answer.”
I take the note and pen, laughter spilling from my lips.
WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?
TICK YES
TICK NO
“I don’t know,” I mumble, frowning down at the paper. “This seems like a big commitment.”
“Hayden,” he growls, leaning down a little.
Laughter spills out of me as I tick the ‘yes’ box. “It’s yes. Always yes.”
And it would be. If I have learned anything from tonight, it’s that life is too short. I have to grab on to life while I can, and I want to do that with Clayton by my side, for as long as he wants me.
This chapter of our lives may have ended, but for us as a couple, it’s just the beginning.
And I can’t wait to find out what our next adventure will bring.
EPILOGUE
MADDOX
Madison strides into the kitchen, helping herself to the food in my cupboards. She pulls out bag of Doritos before leaning back against the counter.
“You really need to let us do something about your neighbours.”
I grunt, tying up my trainers. “Do you think I haven’t tried? Nothing phases them. The council aren’t doing anything. I really don’t want to turn to drastic measures, but with the way they’ve been, I’m gonna have to.”
“Did you turn their water blue yet?”
Grinning at my kind yet devious sister, I nod. “Yes. I broke in a few months ago and made sure to clog all their drains with crap, hoping the smell would drive them out.”
She picks up a dirty sock off the side, throwing it to the floor. “You really need to hire someone to come and clean this place at least once a week.”
“Lily helped, but now that arsehole monopolizes her time.”
“He’s her husband,” she explains, grinning.
“And I’m her best friend.”
The music next door gets louder, and I groan, my head pounding. It has been like this all night and most of the morning.
“Why don’t we cut their electric?”
“I will tonight if they haven’t passed out blind drunk. Though I’m worried the electrical company have someone watching the place.”
Laughing, she steps away from the counter, grabbing her jacket. “How many times have you done it?”
I grin. “Too many. But it’s fun to watch them lose it.”
“What about just going around with Dad and having a word?”
“Because I went around with Landon and that word turned into a brawl in the street. We were lucky one of the neighbours witnessed it, as they tried to place the blame on us.”