Page 97 of ICED
He nods, already reaching into his duffel for tools.
Ollie slips me a look. “Good,” he says. there’s no teasing in his tone. Just warmth. Steadying. He heads straight to me, hands brushing my arms. “You alright?”
I nod, but I can’t quite speak.
Owen sees it. He pulls me into him and I let my forehead rest against his chest, for a second. Just long enough to feel like I’m not doing this alone.
Ollie clears his throat loudly. “Gross. You’re gonna make me cry.”
I huff a laugh and pull back while Owen slips his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.
Daz works efficiently, and by the time we have to leave to collect Lila, he’s already replaced the panel and installed a new sensor above the back window.
“This should catch anything dodgy,” he says. “And if the old one goes off again, this will back it up. Dual triggers.”
He hands me a new code sheet. I blink at it.
“You can change the passcode to something else later. Just don’t forget to give it to the big lad here.” He nods toward Owen.
I smile faintly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Ollie, I’ll meet you downstairs.”
As he leaves, he brushes past Owen and says something I don’t catch.
After the door closes, I raise a brow. “What did he say?”
Owen grabs my hands. “Daz is going to be upgrading everything; this was just to make sure you feel safe for now. We can get cameras too. I can stay here at night if that helps.”
I blink at him, heart hammering with anxiety. I have a feeling he’s not telling me the full truth. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. I want you both safe. That’s all I care about.”
For the first time in years, I let someone stand between me and the dark. And for the first time, it doesn’t feel like weakness. It feels like home.
He brushes a knuckle down my cheek, voice low and steady. “Now, how about we go pick up Lila and go for that pizza I promised you?”
The tension in my chest unwinds another notch. I blink at him, letting the words settle, warm and full of ordinary comfort. Not questions. Not fear. Just pizza. Lila. Him.
I nod, and a smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “You offering to share garlic bread too? Or is that where you draw the line?”
His grin is slow and crooked. “I’d give you the last slice, Dawson. Don’t test me.”
“You must really like me.”
He leans in, lips brushing my temple. “I really do.”
And just like that, the fear doesn’t vanish but it quiets.
We gather our things, lock up behind us, and step into the fading afternoon light. His hand finds mine on the stairwell, rough fingers curling around mine like a promise.
Maybe the world isn’t fixed but for tonight, it feels a little safer.
And a hell of a lot brighter.
By the time we pull up outside the nursery, Lila’s already at the window, face squished against the glass like a cartoon character. She beams when she spots the truck and bolts toward the door, a blur of pink coat and plaits.
“Mummy!” she yells, launching herself into my arms the moment I crouch down to greet her. “You came with Bear!”
