Page 124 of From the Wreckage

I stroke a hand down her back, slow and steady, like maybe I can keep her in this dream world a little longer. She shifts closer, her hand curling against my ribs, and the knot in my chest loosens another inch.

But sleep won’t come for me. Not when my head is a hurricane.

Her words replay over and over.He drugged me. I couldn’t move.Every syllable burns into my skull until rage pulses through me in waves. My jaw aches from clenching. My free hand fists in the blanket, every muscle tight as steel.

Joey’s face flashes in my mind. That smug smirk. Touching what was never his to touch.

I want to tear him apart. Piece by piece.

I tilt my head, pressing my lips against Bri’s hairline, breathing her in until the violence in me sharpens intosomething cold and focused. She stirs but doesn’t wake, whispering something against my skin that sounds like my name.

My chest breaks and heals all at once.

I can’t lose her.

I won’t.

I stare into the darkness, the vow forming like a brand searing itself into me.

He won’t hurt her again. Not while I’m breathing.

I tighten my hold on her, the rhythm of her heartbeat against mine the only thing keeping me tethered. She has no idea what she’s unleashed in me.

And God help Joey, because when the time comes… I’ll make sure he regrets ever breathing the same air as her.

The rage simmers, sharp and unrelenting. But her warmth seeps deeper into me, softening the edges. Her breath brushes across my chest, steady and safe.

My eyes burn, heavy at last.

I press one more kiss to her hair and succumb to the exhaustion, holding her like a lifeline.

CHAPTER 91

Brielle

Warmth.That’s the first thing I register when I wake. Not the cold emptiness of the last few weeks. Not the nightmares that rip me out of sleep, leaving me gasping. Just warmth. Solid. Steady. Safe.

I blink, my eyes adjusting to the thin strips of morning light sneaking through the blinds. Then I feel the steady rise and fall beneath my cheek, the strong arm banded tightly around my waist, the soft thud of a heartbeat under my ear.

Everett.

A sigh escapes me before I can stop it. My hand drifts over his chest, feeling the heat of his skin, the way his muscles twitch even in sleep. I curl closer, greedy for every bit of him, like if I let go, he might vanish.

For the first time since that night, I don’t feel ruined. I don’t feel dirty or broken. I just feel… safe.

I tilt my head, looking up at him. His lashes rest against his cheeks, his jaw rough with stubble. Even in sleep, there’s tension in his features, like he’s fighting battles in his dreams. My chest aches for him.

My thumb brushes over the edge of his jaw, soft and reverent. He stirs slightly but doesn’t wake, tightening his hold on me as if his body knows I belong here.

I close my eyes again, letting myself sink into the comfort of his embrace, memorizing the weight of him, the scent of leather and soap, the quiet peace that’s wrapped around me like a shield.

For the first time in forever, I believe I can heal. Because in his arms… I already feel halfway there.

Everett shifts beneath me,finally stirring awake. His arm tightens around me before his eyes open, like letting go isn’t an option.

“Morning, angel,” he rasps, his voice rough with sleep.

Something warm unfurls in my chest at the sound. I press a kiss against his jaw before whispering, “Morning.”