Page 38 of Fracture

“No, Vinnie. That’s not it at all. You’re the guy who made her feel safe. The one who told her you’d make sure she was okay. Who protected her from her memories and her pain and who gave her back a piece of herself that she couldn’t get any other way.”

“What piece?”

“Her sanity. Her faith in her instincts. For a woman like Lorelei, who’s lived so long by her instincts, it’s the same as her sanity.”

Vinnie sucked in a breath. Marcus was right. Vinnie had been beating himself up for touching Lorelei, but the reality was he helped her.

“On top of that, you have the skills to keep her safe. You’re trained in this kind of thing.”

“But shouldn’t she be with someone who can devote all their time to her safety? Damien is already making noise about me needing to be back at work.”

“I’ll take care of Damien. I’ll assign an officer to the SWAT team for this week. Next week, too, if you want. As long as you want to be away. I know this case is important to you, too.”

Vinnie nodded, thinking through his options. “It is important. Maybe more now. I can’t see leaving her, but I also can’t walk away from my job forever.”

“Talk to her about it and see what makes the most sense. Maybe she’ll want to get out after a week and you can go back to work and let her stay with Karli or Frannie or someone.”

“How the hell did she know Frannie’s name?” Vinnie asked. He’d been wondering about that.

Marcus laughed. “My wife is a constant surprise. I guess I shouldn’t be shocked someone remembers her when they don’t even know themselves.”

Vinnie snorted. “True.”

They walked a little longer, the silence comfortable and safe for Vinnie. It had been since the day he met Marcus. The day the beat cop caught Vinnie shoplifting and gave him two choices. Go back and apologize to the store owner or go to juvie.

Vinnie knew the right answer, and because Marcus gave him time to think about it, Vinnie made the right choice. A choice that meant he took responsibility for his actions and apologized when he messed up.

“You know you’re not the same kid who stole that sweatshirt when you were a teenager.”

Vinnie breathed a laugh. “I was just thinking about that. I don’t know where I’d be if another cop picked me up that day.”

“It doesn’t matter because it didn’t happen that way.”

Vinnie stopped and looked out at the parking lot of his apartment complex. Beat-up cars and rusted junkers filled most of the spots. Vinnie hadn’t leveled up very well, but he knew what he was doing with his life mattered.

“If you weren’t here, she wouldn’t be either.”

Marcus’s quiet words were a punch to the gut. One that knocked the breath out of Vinnie. “That’s…” He drew a breath and let it out slowly, internalizing the truth of it. “Thank you for always being here for me.”

Marcus chuckled. “I should be the one thanking you right now. A lot of people have you to thank for bringing her back.”

“Do you think she’ll get her memory back?” Vinnie blurted. He wasn’t sure which answer would make him feel better, but he wanted to know.

Marcus shook his head. “I don’t know. I hope so. Do you hope so?”

Vinnie laughed. “You’re not supposed to be able to read my mind.”

Marcus grinned. “Then maybe you shouldn’t make it so easy to read your mind.”

“She’s going to leave as soon as she remembers who she is.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. She seems pretty comfortable with you. She’s not the same person she was. She’s… softer. Lighter.”

“It’s the amnesia. Lorelei Sloane is a badass. She’s not going to be broken down by this.”

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change her or that she won’t come back wanting to be different. Karli told Frannie that Lorelei isn’t the same. She’s friendlier and kinder. She’s more like the version Karli remembers from when they were kids.”

“You think losing her memory has given her back a part of her she lost?”

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