Page 81 of Fracture

Lorelei glanced at Vinnie, where he was talking to Gage and Marcus. He looked over at her and winked. Lorelei’s cheeks warmed, and the chorus of aww behind her said they were all watching.

“Let’s go on the patio. So he doesn’t overhear this and run for the hills,” Lorelei said.

“The only place that man is running is to bed with you over his shoulder,” Edie said.

Lorelei felt a connection to Edie. They’d become friends in the last few weeks. Edie had also experienced memory loss because of the abuse she suffered at the hands of the same organization. It was worse for Edie. She was held captive for months. She escaped, or she’d have died in their sex dungeon, available to whatever man paid the owners to have her.

The thought of what Edie went through turned Lorelei’s stomach, but seeing the way the other woman fought back and reclaimed her life inspired the hell out of Lorelei. All the women did. Arrested, accused, left for dead, stalked and attacked, and worse. They were strong. They were survivors. And they were the reason Lorelei was alive. They were the ones who knew she left, and they were the ones who made sure others knew. Who got the word out.

If it wasn’t for them, Vinnie never would have gone looking for her.

Lorelei settled onto one of the wide and comfortable chairs Dawn decorated the patio with. The summer evening was warm but not uncomfortable. The breeze floating around them offered enough to cool them down, but not so much to put a chill in the air. It was perfect.

“So, things are going well?” Jessica asked.

Lorelei smirked. “Yes. Things are going well.”

“She has flat out refused to move in with me and Cade,” Karli said. “We keep asking, but she’s said she’s not leaving Vinnie until he makes her.”

“That’s how I felt about Holden,” Mackenzie said. “After we were snowed in, it was almost impossible to go back to a life where he wasn’t there all the time.”

“You were snowed in?” Lorelei asked.

Mackenzie nodded. “You didn’t hear that story?”

Lorelei shook her head. “Can’t say I remember that one. I thought I knew all the stories.”

“That was when I showed up at the rescue center,” Edie said.

“Oh!” Lorelei exclaimed. “I heard about that. I don’t think I pieced it together, though. That’s crazy.”

Mackenzie nodded. “I never thought Holden was serious all the times he was flirting with me. But those few days it was different. I saw so much more of him.”

“Me, too,” Edie said.

The other women laughed. Edie winked at Mackenzie, who pressed her hands to her cheeks.

“I still feel bad we were fooling around with you right there,” Mackenzie said.

“I was pretty out of it. I really don’t remember anything. I just like teasing you,” Edie said.

Mackenzie sighed, her shoulders sagging comically. “I wish you’d told me that before. I’ve been feeling guilty.”

“You should! You were getting it on with the sexy paramedic in front of a woman who could have been dying,” Raina teased Mackenzie.

“I’m never telling you guys anything again.” Mackenzie crossed her arms and sat back in her chair, attempting to pout. Her smile messed up the effect.

“I feel honored I was there when you and Holden fell in love. Even if I don’t remember it,” Edie said.

“I definitely didn’t know I was in love with him then. I was still fighting it,” Mackenzie admitted.

“Yes, but it worked out. He didn’t give up on you. Ever,” Frannie said.

Mackenzie nodded. “He saved my life.”

“You saved my life,” Raina said.

“And mine,” Edie agreed.

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