Page 54 of Mea Culpa

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Hanlen and Sky came over.

“You okay, girl?” Hanlen asked.

I took a breath and realized I was, despite the horror I’d just experienced. Would I have some bad dreams? Most likely. Would I still be looking over my shoulder for a bit? Probably. Would I be able to forget anything that happened before or now. Never. Still . . . Iwasokay.

I nodded.

“Damn right she is,” Sky said, bumping Hanlen’s shoulder. “Our Birdie’s a badass.”

“I can’t claim this one. If it weren’t for Seth, Joshua, Erin, Melissa, and Maeve—or Mom sending Desmond—I don’t know if I would have gotten away.”

“Pssh.” Sky swatted a hand at me. “You so would have.”

Paxton walked up and wrapped Sky in a hug, lifting her off her feet. “I love you. You know that? You give me heart attacks on the regular, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Aw, Papi, I know you love me.” She kissed him.

Once the police came and read Trent and Lionel their rights, hauling them away, I couldn’t take my eyes off the door Lionel and his lieutenant had been led through. A moment of surreal realization hit me. While my instincts would likely keep me jumpy and constantly looking over my shoulder for a bit, I didn’t have to anymore. That shock had me rooted to the spot. My nightmare was finally over.

Dev came over and pulled Hanlen to him, kissing the top of her hair.

“Well,” he said, shaking his head. “That is not how I imagined the end of our night of filming going.”

“Ooh,” Hanlen said, leaning back to look up at him. “But our cameras probably caught half of that. I wonder if the network will give us all bonuses for this investigation turning into basically a true crime drama.”

Dev tapped her on the nose. “Always with the enterprising ideas.”

“Hey, someone’s gotta keep money in petty cash to feed Aaron and James.”

“I heard that,” James called.

“I meant for you to,” Hanlen yelled back. “But, seriously, those munchies are going to bankrupt us all.”

We all laughed, and it felt good to do it. Goddess knew we’d earned it after everything that’d gone down.

I sighed, basking in the moment but wishing that everyone could be here to feel it.

I stood with Kholt’s help and asked the group, “Anybody hear news about Turner?”

“Harper texted,” Dev said. “They admitted him. Assumed concussion as we all expected, but it doesn’t look like there’s any skull fracturing or internal bleeding, so they’re just keeping him for observation.”

I felt the last little bit of weight that had been sitting on my shoulders drift away. “Good. That’s good.” I looked at my mom, and she just nodded at me.

“I’ll go check on him,” she said.

“Thank you. Tell him to call me. We can talk. And I’ll come and pick him up when they discharge him. I want him to have some time with you, and I know they won’t keep him that long.”

“Will do, sweetie.” Then, she disappeared.

I stared at the place she’d stood. What a crazy night. My emotions were a ball of twists and turns that could rival the world’s greatest ball of twine, and everything hurt. Yet the relief I felt at closing that chapter of horror, the utter joy of having people in my life like I did now, was a balm. It soothed the sting and smoothed the rough edges. Still, after everything that had happened, I just wanted to sleep for about a week.

I turned in Kholt’s arms. “Take me home?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter32

~Kholt~


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