Page 27 of Echoes of You

Maddie’s gaze swept over me. “Are you okay?”

“AmIokay?”

“You’ve got that I’m-going-to-break-some-shit look on your face.”

I struggled to keep my breathing even. “Do you blame me? The doctor just told us you have three broken ribs, and all I can think about is how you got them.”

Maddie moved into my space, her hands ghosting over my face. “Don’t think about that. It’s over, and I’m healing.”

“We need to file a report.”

Maddie jerked back. “No.”

I gaped at her. “You need an order of protection at least.”

“What good would that do other than to tell Adam exactly where I am? Right now, he has no clue. That keeps me a hell of a lot safer than a slip of paper. You should know that better than most people.”

My back teeth ground together because, in some ways, Maddie was right. I knew from my years in the Cedar Ridge Police Department that filing for an order of protection could sometimes escalate things. It also informed the perpetrator exactly where the victim was. It wasn’t always an ideal solution, but it was the best we had.

“It will give us recourse if he shows up here. And with Doc’s documentation, you could press charges.”

Shadows played in Maddie’s eyes. “I know what a trial does to a person. I don’t want to go there again.”

Pain ricocheted through my chest. She’d already been through so much. I sighed. “Okay.” It went against everything I believed in, but I couldn’t bring myself to push. “Will you think about the order of protection?”

“Sure, I’ll think about it.”

It was all I could ask for.

9

MADDIE

I dreamtI was walking through the desert, the sun beating down on me. I was hot. Too hot. I twisted, aware I was dreaming and trying to wake myself up. But as I turned, I met a hard surface.

My lids flew open, eyes meeting green ones so rich they reminded me of the forest. Nash grinned. “Morning.”

I blinked a few times. “W-what?”

He chuckled, the sound sweeping over my skin in a pleasant shiver. “You got soused on pain meds. That’s probably why things are a little fuzzy.”

I frantically searched my memories, trying to put the pieces together. We’d picked up burgers after the doctor’s office. Then came home and ate. I’d showered and gotten into pajamas, Nash had handed me those potent little pills, and then we’d laid on my bed.

A faint memory scratched at my brain—a tongue-loosened admission.“I missed you.”

I guessed if that was all I’d said, I should consider myself lucky. It could’ve been so much worse.

“You stayed?” I said it like a question, but the answer was obvious.

Nash’s brows pulled together. “Where else would I be?”

My mouth went dry, and my eyes burned. Just that simple question made me want to cry—burst into tears and never stop.

“Thanks for staying,” I said quietly.

He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Of course. I missed your snores. I sleep better with them.”

“I don’t snore.”

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