Page 119 of The Villain

“I was the only piece left,” I said softly.

“Because you saw him that morning. He didn’t know you didn’t remember.”

“Or that I didn’t even know his name.”

The room settled into silence for several long seconds, everyone seemingly waiting to be sure that one more shoe didn’t drop.

“It’s over,” Dare said low, finding my stare. “You’ll be able to go home.”

“We will,” I corrected him.

There was a soft noise, and we both turned just as the door to my hospital room closed softly behind Rob.

“She’ll be fine,” Harm said quietly, the brothers sharing a look that spoke volumes; it was best to leave her alone right now. “I’m heading back to the garage. Ty and Rhys have been handling the police investigation.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you.” I released my breath when Dare and I were alone again. “I can’t believe this is all over.”

Strange how a few weeks could affect yourlife so completely, it felt like it had been years since things had been normal.

Dare cupped my cheek and brought his head back to mine. “It’s not over,” he murmured huskily. “This is just the beginning.”

“I think this was the last one,” Dare said, carefully breaking down what he’d declared as the last moving box we’d just finished unpacking.

I stood for a second, taking in the space now devoid of boxes. Taking in the filled shelves and decorated walls. Taking in all the photographs we’d hung of Mom and me, old photos of Darius and me, and photos of Darius and his family and his team. It was still Mom’s old couches and her floral wallpaper, but it was also me now;it was also us.

It had been two weeks since we’d been released from the hospital, both of us a little worse for the wear, but happier for the future.

Gentle recuperation had been possible because of his family…my found family.

They’d kept us updated on how the dust settled after the accident; apparently, Belmont made a statement mourning the loss of his longtime friend and COO in a tragic car accident. If he knew about Wenner’s discontent or the plot against him, there was no sign of it.

Ty made sure we were stocked on food. Tray after tray of his homemade frozen meals were delivered every few days, so all we had to do was microwave. Rorik came by tomake sure we were healing well. Harm and Rhys and their partners, Daria and Merritt, would come over for dinner, after which Rhys would magically make his interesting-looking instrument—a hurdy-gurdy—appear, and we’d sing a few songs until the night ended. It was Rob, though, who visited the most. Helped us unpack at the beginning until we were a little more functional. Some days, it almost felt like she didn’t come to see us but to escape…something.

“What did Harm want?”

His brother had stopped by half an hour ago, and the two of them had talked in my makeshift studio in the garage.

Dare’s jaw tensed, and I went to him, resting a hand on his arm. My instinct as of late was to assume danger, but the pained look on his face didn’t signal a threat.

I watched his throat bob and the way he had to coerce every muscle into coordination to speak.

“He wants me to take his bike.”

My brow creased. Dare’s motorcycle had been completely destroyed in the bomb, but why would Harm want to give him his?

“Why doesn’t he want his own bike?”

“No.” His exhale blew through his lips, his head swaying. “Not Harm’s. My brother wants me to have Ryan’s bike.”

I felt my jaw slacken.

Dare nodded slowly. “It’s covered in the back of the shop. It’s an obnoxious yellow crotch rocket that we all bought after we came home. It was the one he always talked about, so we bought it for him…for his memory.”

Tears collected in my eyes, and when he looked at me, I saw the same mirrored in his.

“Harm said it was a unanimous vote for me to have it.”

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