Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Whether he meant that he would come try to take her back, take me out for not treating her right, or both, I didn’t know.
“She’s in good hands, man,” I told him.
“Yeah,” he said, sighing. “Good to hear.”
With that, the call ended just as Nyx started to stir, likely woken up by my voice that, despite my best efforts, never came off all that quiet.
“Who was that?” she asked, slow blinking at me with her one good eye. The other one had swollen completely shut over the night.
“An old friend. Letting us know that everything is all settled,” I told her. “We don’t have to worry about anything anymore,” I added. “Except getting you well again.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think I need more of Morgaine’s toxic waste tea,” she said, whimpering as she tried to move.
“I’ll get you some,” I told her, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead—one of the few spots on her face that wasn’t sporting massive damage.
“Hey, Strauss,” she called, voice small.
“Yeah, babe?”
“Every single thing sucks about this,” she said, waving at her face. “Except getting to wake up with you,” she told me.
“Lucky for you, you get to wake up with me forever.”
“Forever is a big word,” Nyx said.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “But I still mean it.”
And I did.
I’d never been able to envision forever with someone before because the only forever meant for me was one with Nyx in it.
I wouldn’t waste time getting started on it.
Epilogue
Nyx - 1 week
The swelling has pretty much all gone down.
Which, thank God.
Because I was getting sick of seeing a monster reflected at me when I looked in the mirror.
And, yeah, I’d been worried about the face underneath all that fluid retention.
Luckily, everything seemed to be alright structurally. So once the bruises all faded, I would be back to normal.
Physically.
The jury was out about mentally and emotionally.
I wanted to be that badass bitch who got her ass handed to her and walked away like it didn’t impact her at all.
The thing was… it had.
Impacted me.
I had nightmares.
I jumped at shadows.
I broke out in random cold sweats at even the idea of leaving the clubhouse.
It was irrational. I knew that. But trauma didn’t need to be rational.
As much as I really did want to just lean into Slash, to let him protect me, I knew there were times when he wouldn’t be around. I needed to be okay with that. I needed to feel safe when he wasn’t around.
Sure, the guns helped. And I was getting a crash course in how to use them, doing target practice daily with Slash.
But I wanted to know that even if I found myself without a weapon, I stood a chance of defending myself.
Which was why Delaney, Morgaine, and I were all dressed and grabbing our bags.
We were signing up for a self-defense class as a girls’ night activity before going out to dinner.
I was still several weeks out from actually being able to do a class with my bruised ribs, though even just a week had done wonders. I no longer felt like I was being stabbed every time I moved.
But the classes filled up quickly and they ran in month-long cycles. So we wanted to go in, sign up, and fill out the paperwork now for when I could go.
“You sure you don’t want me to drive you in?” Slash asked, giving my hip a squeeze.
“I want you to,” I admitted. “Which is why you can’t,” I added, shrugging.
“Babe, it’s only been a week.”
“I know,” I agreed. “But I think it might be too easy for a week to become a month, then a year.”
“Okay. But so the fuck what? You need me, I’ll be there.”
“Which is very sweet of you, but not realistic. Or healthy. I need to be comfortable going out with just my friends. Or alone,” I said, though my stomach twisted hard at even the idea of that.
One day, I reminded myself.
One day, I would go out alone.
Not today.
But eventually, I would be ready.
That was why the self-defense classes were so important. To build my confidence. So I could get my independence back.
“But I really appreciate the offer,” I added, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips.
I think, to an extent, he was worried about me leaving too. As much as this event had happened to me, it had happened to him as well. To us.
And he’d been such an attentive caretaker. Especially for someone to whom it didn’t come naturally. He was always bringing me drinks and snacks and meals, never letting me miss a dose of the pain meds and ibuprofen to help with the swelling. He put on my shows and refreshed my ice packs.
It was probably making him anxious to have me out of his sight.