Page 121 of Nevada

I swallow hard. “Did anyone get hurt?”

“A lot of shit went down, but it was successful. The Hellions are gonna strike the Skeletons and that ain’t our fight, baby girl.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He kisses me on the forehead. “Try and get some sleep. Then we’re outta here.”

Panic hits me suddenly. “Where are Halo and Kyle?”

“They knew you were restin’. They’re upstairs in one of the rooms.”

“I need to see Halo.”

He pushes me back down against the pillows. “Soon, baby.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Can you try?”

I shake my head.

“For me,” he presses.

I’m exhausted, but I know if I close my eyes, all I’ll see is Tilly. “Just don’t go.”

He kicks off his boots. “Not goin’ anywhere.”

“Promise?”

He lays down next to me. “Promise.”

I let out a breath I’ve been holding for too long.

It’ll be better now he’s here. Things will be better as long as I don’t break like I did before.

“Savage told me what happened.”

“He brought me in here.”

“I heard. Not happy about that. Another man touchin’ my ol’ lady is grounds for a fuckin’ bullet in the skull.”

“He was being nice.”

He snorts. “Nice?”

“I was a mess.”

He pulls my back to his front so we’re spooning. “It’s okay to let go sometimes, babe. You can’t be strong every second of every day.” He kisses the back of my hair. “Now rest.”

I hold onto that thought because if I don’t, I know that it’ll be the final straw. I never thought I’d need a man to prop me up, but right now I’m glad for it. I can’t do this alone. If I’ve learned anything from this experience, it’s that. And for that alone, I’ll always be grateful.

We ride home in silence. I glance out the window but don’t see anything. Everything is just a non-existent blur.

So this is what defeat feels like.

Halo is with us in the back. When she saw me this morning, she took me in her arms and hugged the life out of me. Maybe she expected me to cry, but I had no tears left. Every ounce of feeling in my body has turned numb. I’m beaten. Broken. Like a wounded bird, which isn’t like me at all, but maybe this is the new me.

The woman who couldn’t save her sister. I couldn’t find her, that’s what bugs me the most. This isn’t about me, but I was Tilly’s only hope. And now that hope has dashed and all I have are memories.

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