Page 180 of Dark Endures

“The only new one is the knife wound. But he wasn’t trying to kill me. Just scare you. Well, not you. Did you know he thought Waylon was you? So gross.”

“Are you sure they didn’t give you drugs?”

“Positive. I think I’ve just lost it a little bit. I don’t want to get kidnapped again, okay?”

“No more kidnapping.”

“Good.” I lean my head on his very real shoulder. “Thank you for finding me.”

“I’ll always find you.”

The Talk

Maddox

Barb ties a knot in the last stitch. “There, you’re all set. I wouldn’t suggest getting kidnapped or stabbed again for at least a week or two. But everything should heal up just fine.”

“Thank you. And thank you for the very fine pain pill. It’s wonderful.”

Drugged Mindy is very different from the Mindy I found on the travel agency floor less than an hour ago. That one had me more than a little worried.

“You’re welcome. You’re going to hurt in the morning, but a few aspirins should be enough for that. I’ll come check your stitches then.” Barb’s talking to Mindy but looking at me.

“Got it.”

I pull the blanket up over Mindy and kiss her forehead before following Barb out to the main room. “How close was she to dying?”

“Really close. They just missed an artery.”

Dead. They’re so dead. “Thanks for coming out.”

“Anytime. I’m glad you found her.” Barb walks towards the door and stops with her hand on the handle. “What’s it like?”

She means, what is it like to be in love? None of us have had a lot of that in our lives. “Amazing, stressful, joyous, terrifying basically all the emotions you could ever imagine rolled up into a ball and shaken around a few times until you’re confused, but couldn’t care in the least.”

Barb nods and walks out the door.

I walk back to find Mindy asleep.

Her steady breaths calm my soul. There can never be a repeat of today again. My heart just can’t handle it. I can see why Vex wants to wrap Dahlia up and carry her around with him everywhere.

A future without Mindy in it isn’t one I’d want to live in.

Sleep. Heal. Tomorrow, we start the future together.

***

The pain pills combined with all the stress from the last few days must have really taken it out of Mindy. She’s been asleep for almost twelve hours. If it weren’t for her steady breathing, I would have been on the phone with Barb hours ago.

She’ll probably be hungry when she wakes up.

Sweet or savory?

Sweet. French toast. I message Fea, asking her to bring up a loaf of banana bread.

The rest of the ingredients should be in my kitchen. With one hand, I crack six eggs into a bowl, pour a cup of milk over them, a teaspoon of vanilla, and a dash of good bourbon for flavor.

“You ordered bread,” Fea whispers as she steps inside.

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