Page 140 of Savior

“I belong nowhere,” the girl says, eyes just as devoid as Sloane’s.

What the fuck.

When I get inside the SUV, sliding in beside Sloane, she shoves closer to her door, sinking into herself as shivers continue to wrack her body.

Slate makes eye contact with me, silently comforting me as I stow my emotions.

Brynne reaches over and clicks the heater on.

“We’re going to keep you safe,” Brynne says, reaching back and placing a hand on Sloane’s knee.

Shockingly, Sloane covers Brynne’s hand with her own, and I’m thankful more than I’ve ever been for Slate and his wife. For human kindness and the fucking mafia.

There’s a long road ahead, but I know Sloane’s tough enough to survive.

And with her safe, so am I.

After Slate’sdoctor looks Sloane over and gives her the go ahead, I get her back to my apartment, against Slate’s advice. He worried that taking her some place else she didn’t recognize would spiral her out of control. But we need her somewhere that no one can find her. We need to let the dust settle.

Slate isn’t certain of the repercussions from tonight or when they’ll come.

We need to lie low.

“This will be your room,” I tell Sloane, leading her inside.

The things she left at the rectory are piled up in the bed, waiting for her to decide what to do with them.

She turns toward me, her lifeless eyes looking me up and down.

“This is my new place. After I left the church, I didn’t want to move in with my mother, and I knew we needed somewhere to land after all this shit… Sorry, anyway, I wanted to ensure you had your own space, so I got a two-bedroom. I know you have your apartment, and once this is over, if you want to go there, you can…” Fuck, I’m rambling. “We need to lie low for a bit. Let Slate and Brynne assess the damage.”

She nods. “I understand.”

In a déjà vu moment, she hefts her shirt over her head and slips out of her shorts.

Her body is battered and bruised, and it has me wishing she’d have stabbed him a few more fucking times.

“Burn these?”

I nod. “I’ll handle it.”

“The bathroom is in there, and all your clothes from the rectory are there.” I point them out, letting her head into the shower of her own volition. She stands in the empty room longer than I should have, unsure of what to do.

“I’m here if you need me,” I mutter, knowing she can’t hear me. But I needed to say it.

I bag her clothes and hide them on the balcony, where I will burn them tomorrow, as I listen for her in the shower.

Brynne told me to keep a close eye on her, but I don’t want to invade her newfound privacy.

Though, even from here, I can hear her sobs.

Closing my eyes, I pray to the man I besotted by breaking my vows for the woman I broke them for.

Hoping he’ll answer.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

SLOANE

---