Page 39 of In Death, Love Survives
Fuck, of course she is with this attention.
“Knock it off,” I shout loudly.
Everyone’s heads turn and face me directly. I’ve been keeping my distance in here, with good reason, but I’m not going to let anyone fuck with Nova.
Nova pauses, and I watch the way her chest heaves up and down as she catches the breath she was holding in. Slowly, she faces me too.
Parted lips and big doe eyes drink me in. The way she’s looking at me makes me feel like the hero in her story when I can never be that for anyone.
“Don’t put a mark on the doc,” Toby whispers.
It breaks me out of the trance Nova and I were just under.
“What?” I ask.
“If they know you have a thing for the doc, they’ll go for her. Not everyone is like us in here.”
My eyes darken, and my jaw clenches as I realize he’s right.
“Nothingfor Dr. Fletcher. She just deserves to be treated with respect.”
I sit back down on the bleachers, and Toby sits next to me as we watch Nova slipping between a set of double doors. Everyone else resumes what they were doing, except for someone I can’t recall meeting.
“Who’s that?” I ask Toby.
He looks in that direction and coughs loudly.
“He’s the one who wants you to help out.”
It’s all starting to make sense.
“What’s his name?”
“Sam. Sam Snow.”
“What’s he in for?”
Toby swallows again, and I realize he’s also terrified of Sam.
“Murder.”
“He has life?”
Toby laughs in disbelief.
“Yeah. As he should.”
Facing Toby, I wait for him to continue.
“He’s killed like God knows how many innocent people. Fuck. It’s rough.”
Innocent. Such an obtuse word.
“How do you know that?”
“Like anything in here, really.” I hum in response.
“If anyone asks, nothing between me and Dr. Fletcher.”
