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I’m afraid to touch him. I’m afraid to do anything that might jeopardize him or hurt him more than he’s already hurt.

“You saved us.”

Something drops over my shoulders, and Soren is there shoving one of his hoodies over the top of my head. He grunts out something to Aiden but I can’t look away.

God, have I ever loved another person like I love him? Aiden is…he’s…

“Sir? Mr. October?” a voice sounds from our right. “Let’s get you to a hospital.”

The EMTs have arrived and brought a stretcher into the living room. Our tiny slice of paradise has turned into pure pandemonium, like we’ve been caught in the middle of an uprising at a mental institution.

It certainly feels like a fever dream.

The officer who is friendly with Tase, Darrell something, stands in the center of the space with his hands on his hips, barking out orders. He stares at the young officer righting the tripod, and points toward another holding an evidence bag.

A shudder spreads along my vertebrae and plucks them one at a time. I wrap my arms around my chest, shivering.

Whatever they're going to find on the cell phone, it won’t be good.

The evidence is clear. If Maxxx8U survives, he’s going to be put away for a long time.

Soren pulls me to the side to stay out of the way while the EMTs help Aiden onto the stretcher. But it’s impossible to wait, impossible to hold myself back. I lace my fingers through Aiden’s and drag Soren with me as we follow the stretcher outside.

“It’s going to be fine,” I say.

Oh, shit, I’m going to cry.

Crying won’t help Aiden. Crying certainly isn’t going to mend his broken bone.

Aiden squeezes my hand and lifts it to his lips. Even bloodless, his lips are still soft.

“Don’t worry about me, baby,” he murmurs. “It’s just a broken bone. I’ve been through worse than this before.”

He’s gray-faced and looking like he’s going to pass out at any minute.

“I love you.” The words spill out of me before I can stopthem. “I love you so much. You can’t die on me. I will…” What?

The lines of his forehead smooth out, his expression going soft. “You think I don’t know?” he whispers. “Stay with Soren. He needs you more than I do.”

My hysterical chuckle burns my throat. “Why are you guys always saying that to me? You’re all in bad shape.”

“We’re taking him to Mercy General, if you folks want to follow along behind us as soon as you’re done here,” the closest EMT tells me. “But don’t worry. Mr. October is going to be just fine. He’s in good hands. Our surgeons will know what to do.”

Aiden kisses my knuckles again, shifting his eyes toward Soren and waggling his brows. Then, as though the motion took too much energy out of him, he collapses on the stretcher and exhales slowly. They wheel him into the waiting ambulance.

It takes me a few moments to realize Soren’s hand is trembling in mine. “Soren?”

My stomach jumps when he pries loose.

Cutting through the gloom, he heads toward the lake shore and drops, practically falling onto his ass. Alone, with his head in his hands, he doesn’t twitch as I follow him.

We’re both coming down from the adrenaline and panic. It’s natural for him to want some time to figure himself out, and with Tase dealing with the cops, we aren't needed yet, not until they’re ready to take our statements.

Where do I belong? What do I do now that the threat is gone?

I kneel in front of Soren, ignoring the cold rocks against my knees. The blood covering my skin doesn’t matter. I wrap my arms around his waist, and he grabs at me like we're both in the middle of a stormy sea.

We cling to each other. Survivors in the chaos.