Page 42

Chapter 42

Kabir

My eyes fly open. I feel reborn.

Slowly, I sit up and find my bearings. Sione is awake, sitting cross-legged on a worn vinyl couch, watching me.

“Let’s go see our girl.”

We leave the room exactly as we found it, then travel down to the main lobby to use the bathroom and freshen up.

When we emerge, we stop by the visitor desk, ask for information, and receive official visitor name tags.

As the elevator door opens, I nearly trip over my own damn feet out of eagerness, and Sione snickers beside me.

“Right, then.” I straighten my jacket and run one hand through my hair.

In unison, we stride straight for the room, not even pausing at the door.

Inside, I make a beeline for the bedside.

Hunter lies flat on starched white sheets, positively ravaged with bruises and cuts and swollen patches all over her skin. Her chest rises and falls in a reassuring, steady rhythm, bringing a modicum of relief with each inhalation.

Levi is curled awkwardly on his side next to her, his large frame twisted in a way that can’t be comfortable.

Though sometimes comfort isn’t about physical ease, I suppose.

Hovering closer, I tuck a lock of blond hair behind her ear and press my lips to an unmarred patch of skin near her temple.

My beautiful, resilient Firecracker.

For a moment, I pause there, recalling the meticulous planning that occurred over the last twenty-four hours, as well as the precise execution. With the memories comes a strange solace.

It was for her. For them. For us.

And it was all worth it.

Levi brushes his hand over mine, pulling me from my thoughts. Silently, I meet his gaze and desperately try to communicate that we’re safe, but that he can’t ask questions or know anything about what happened last night.

When he nods slowly in response to my unspoken plea, I capture his hand. Fingers laced with his, I hold tight and gingerly move around the hospital bed.

When I reach his side, I bend low once more and kiss his forehead. “Are you well, Champ?”

The door cracks open, drawing the attention of the three of us awake in the room. Garrett walks through, then promptly closes it behind him.

Levi smiles that bright, brilliant, all-American smile that makes my insides riot with appreciation. I want more. More moments with him, with her, with all of us. More smiles, more laughter, more life without having to live in fear.

He takes Garrett in, then turns back to look at me. “I am now,” he finally answers. “Help me up.”

Still holding his hand, I cup his elbow and pull him off the bed.

Sione is right there, prepared to slot in and fill the empty space Levi left beside Hunter.

Together, Levi and I shuffle to the couch and sit. Garrett snags a plastic chair and spins it, then spreads his legs wide and straddles it.

“My dad knows about Hunter and me. Me and you, too.” He nods at Levi, his expression uncertain. “About all of us, to an extent.”

Levi’s response is a sharp hiss.

Garrett cups his knee and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t stress, Leev. He won’t judge us. Hell, I don’t think he even processed half of what I said, considering his one and only concern is Magnolia.”

“Magnolia will no longer be a problem,” I decree.

Both men go quiet, their attention shifting to me.

Levi’s body tenses beside me. “Did you—”

I hold up one hand to silence him.

“So she’s really—”

A curt glare shuts up Garrett as well.

“Magnolia will no longer be a problem,” I repeat. “Magnolia will never be a problem for us again.”

As my words sink in, the worry ebbs from each man. Though, unsurprisingly, a hint of pensiveness remains. There’s concern there, but not fear.

“She’s free,” Garrett whispers, his gaze set on the woman we all love, who’s still sleeping soundly with Sione by her side.

She is.

If I end up serving a lifetime of karmic repentance or burning in hell for all eternity because of what I did, it will be worth it.