Page 172 of Ruin Me Gently

I huffed a laugh, trying to keep my voice light. “What, the air conditioning not good enough for you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Very funny. I mean actual air.Outsideair. I could do with my own clothes, too. Check in on Katniss. See Molly.”

No.

She wasn’t ready. She could barely move without wincing, and Clark was still out there. Every second she was out in the open was another chance for him to find her. Another risk I wasn’t willing to take.

“You need to heal,” I said, taking a bite of toast. “Why don’t you text Molly? Ask her to come over? She can pick up some clothes for you, bring them here. Bring whatever you need.”

Safer.

Controlled.

No risk of her stepping outside these walls.

She hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, okay. That’s a good idea.”

Relief spread through my chest, even as I forced myself to stay composed. I grinned, nudging her slightly. “Good. I’ll give you the address.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, resting her head on my shoulder.

I wanted to tell her she didn’t have to thank me. That this was just how it was. That there was no way she was going back into a world where he was still breathing, still searching.

Instead, I pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and let her settle her weight against me as I took a sip of coffee.

She was safe.

She was here.

And that was the only thing that mattered.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

Iwas sprawled acrossthe couch, head resting comfortably in Silas’ lap when the sharp chime of the elevator cut through the air.

“Lilith!”

I barely had the chance to crane my head over the armrest before a blur of copper hair and bright clothes came barrelling towards me at full speed.

“Oof—” A half-yelp, half-laugh escaped me as I was yanked up from Silas’ lap and smothered in a tight embrace.

“Oh, my sweet girl,” Molly murmured, her voice cracking slightly as she pulled back just enough to cup my face. Her gaze landed on the cut on my temple, and she winced, her freckled face crumpling.

“I’m so sorry, Lils,” she said softly, her thumb brushing lightly near the stitches like she was afraid to hurt me.

I tried to smile, reassure her, but before I could, a voice broke through the moment.

“Oh, come on, it was a compliment!” A man stepped out of the elevator, a thick folder tucked under his arm, sandy blond hair a complete mess, tie askew, trailing in with an exasperated look on his face.

She glared daggers at him. “That wasn’t a compliment, you insufferable frat house reject!”

This guy looked completely unfazed. “Insufferable? Really? I meant it in a good way!” He looked to Silas and gestured wildly at Molly with the folder. “Look at her! She’shotdude!”

Silas stood abruptly. “Finn, what the fuck did you do?”

“What did I do?!” The guy—Finn—shot back, pointing at himself indignantly. “I paid her a compliment, that’s what!”

Molly’s jaw dropped, green eyes blazing. “A compliment?”she repeated.

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