Page 26 of Freeing Denver

I close my eyes and feel Colt press his lips to my forehead. “I love you, Del.”

My heart leaps as I smile, and I think I say it back before falling into the deepest sleep since I almost lost him.

Chapter 6

Colt

Itake in a deep breath and open my eyes when my side suddenly feels cold. My mom is lifting Holly into her arms, and I rub my face. I must have fallen asleep. “You’re leaving?”

She shakes her head and whispers, “Just taking her upstairs so she can sleep properly. You should do the same.” She nods at Denver, who is fast asleep on my other side, a blanket over us. “I like her.”

I smile. “I like her, too.”

My mom leaves with Holly in her arms, and I shift down the couch, pulling Denver against my chest. She hardly stirs, her lips slightly parted, her breathing deep and even.

I’m exhausted. My head aches. There are massive moments lost to me, but I remember being in bed with Denver after the fire. I think we made promises. I know I felt hopeful. We planned a future.

And after this, I refuse to wait for it.

“I’m going to take you away from all of this,” I whisper, running my fingers through her hair. “We’re getting out.”

She doesn’t react, still deep in sleep, but I mean every word. We’re done. We’re leaving. I’m not living this life a second longer.

Alistair’s steps are quiet as he enters the room and sits on the opposite side of the U-shaped sofa. “She out cold?”

I nod, running my hand down her back. “She must be tired. Did you speak to Taf and JJ?”

“Yeah, they said they understand you need tonight. They’ll come over whenever you’re ready.”

I want to see them, but after Holly’s reaction, the tears and the confusion, I can’t handle any more emotion. And selfishly, I wanted Denver and Holly close to me for as long as possible.

My throat is thick when I ask. “Wilder?”

He was with me before the explosion, and I remember telling him I loved him. When I woke up and was able to gather some of my thoughts, I wanted to ask my mom what happened, but I’m not ashamed to admit I was too afraid to hear her say the words.

Alistair looks at his hands. “I’m sorry, Colt.”

The shot of pain has me tightening my hold on Denver.

My baby brother, the kid I did everything to protect, is dead. He’s been gone a week, and I’ve been lying unconscious in that bed, unable to do a fucking thing about it.

I bite the inside of my lip, tears burning my eyes, and I kiss the top of Denver’s head, drawing strength from her. I wish she was awake, but it’s selfish of me to take away the little rest she seems to have had.

“And …” Alistair takes a breath. “Finn, too.”

Something dislodges in my chest. Something I need, something that I can’t acknowledge as regret. Not yet. If that emotion curls around the grief, I might totally break, and I don’t have the luxury of doing anything other than fixing this mess and getting Denver and Holly the hell out of here.

“Who?” I ask, my voice hoarse.

“Vince Capelli.”

“Let’s break some bones, shall we?”

The phone call. He’d bragged before trying to kill me.

“Are we dealing with it?”

Something dark crosses Alistair’s face. “He’s already been dealt with.”