Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Brody helped me clean and rewrap it. Let’s just say swimming and rock climbing so I didn’t get eaten by a damn alligator definitely wasn’t on my Bingo card, but I’ll survive.”
Lana made a sound of protest. “We know that, Mel. You always do, and we’ve never questioned that. She asked how bad it is.”
“Honestly?”
“You could keep it a secret. Not like everyone else isn’t hiding something around here.”
I glanced down at my lap waiting for her to elaborate, expecting her to demand we spill our guts. She didn’t though, and that was so typical of Lana. She’d never push for more but was always ready whenever we decided to talk. That’s why questioning Ciaran outright back at the warehouse was so concerning. She was frustrated—naturally so. Melantha sighed and settled more comfortably on the bed, her silver eyes scanning the room.
“I wish I could huddle in a ball and cry about it. Wouldn’t that make for great television?”
Lana nodded. “It would certainly make a history book somewhere.” She reached for my hand and examined the thin line left behind with a light smile. “It almost matches mine.”
I’d nearly forgotten about the light scar on her hand. The reminder made me realize I did have one just like hers, but it was on my other palm. She turned my hand over and showed Mel, who looked at it closely. I suppressed a grin at their less-than-obvious antics. Of course, they couldn’t just ask me what it was like, they had to see it themselves.
“All joking aside, if I don’t make it out of--.”
“You will,” I cut her off.
“Let me finish. If I don’t make it out of here, just promise me one thing.”
From the way she was looking at the two of us, I knew she was being serious.
“What is it?” Mel prodded gently.
“When you two do get out of here, come back for me. I don’t want to be buried in that cemetery with all the others that came before us,” she paused and took a breath, “I don’t want to rot here like so much of us already has.”
I swallowed, struggling to keep the rising emotion off my face. “I’d never leave you here, Lana. Either of you.”
Mel laughed bitterly. “Well, if I don’t make it out, do the same for me, okay?” She laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. “And thank you for always being there. You two are all I’ve ever had. So, yeah. Thank you for loving me. No one else did.”
I blinked to clear the sudden burn from my eyes and looked down at her. “You guys are going to make me cry.”
Mel grinned, keeping her eyes closed.
“Their fucking loss then. We’re the luckiest girls alive to get to love you,” Lana declared softly. She settled on her side and let go of my hand, reaching over me to take Mel’s. “But someone else tried to.”
Mel grunted. “When we leave this place maybe I’ll give it a go.”
“Who?” I glanced between them wondering what I was missing. “It’s not Brody.”
Suddenly her eyes were wide open. “Absolutely not. I mean, he’s really cute, but no.”
“So is Dion,” Lana hummed. She looked up at me and smiled mischievously. “If I die, tell Ciaran I said that.”
I scowled at her. “Stop talking about dying and start telling me who Mel’s—wait. Is it Maverick?”
When neither denied nor confirmed I knew I’d guessed correctly. I could totally envision that.
“What about you?” Mel asked, stealing a pillow.
“And she isn’t asking how entirely smitten you are with Mr. Touch Her and Die,” Lana needlessly clarified. “But he is being whatever you need, right?”
I bit back a smile, feeling a little flutter in my chest just thinking about him. “Would you go up against him on my behalf?”
“I would do anything for you.” Her expression grew serious. “I will burn this entire city to the ground for you two.”
“As would I,” Mel seconded. “You girls mean everything to me. You’re the biggest blessings of my life.”
“Precisely.” Lana smiled at her. “And no man could ever change that.”
I slid lower so that I wasn’t so propped up. “Whatever’s left of me, because let’s face it, if we were to die it would be from something brutal, burn what remains and scatter the ashes in a sunflower field.”
“Morbid, but very you,” Mel said. “I think I’d like that too. Maybe the ocean.”
“Noted. But you’re not going to die, none of us are,” Lana reiterated, her eyes falling closed.
I sat with them, listening to their breathing gradually even out, hoping with everything I had left they were right. I couldn’t do life without them.
When I opened my eyes, it took me a moment to realize I had dozed off again.
The first giveaway was Dion fast asleep on the lounge in the corner, an arm slung over his face. Brody slouched against the wall, which couldn’t be comfortable, his eyes closed too. I wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or not, though.