“I would believe just about anything right now because I would put nothing past him. I’m so sorry. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to tell you everything all this time. I just couldn’t.”

I can’t even process that right now. Too much is going on, too many layers to pull back.

At the heart of it is the certainty I know I can’t make him understand. Deep inside, I know she’s gone. No way would he let her live, not after she found the truth. He must have decided it would be easier to kill both of them. After all, she had already called me. So he knew I was aware of what she’d found. No way was he going to be able to keep his secret much longer.

If only we had gotten there sooner. Then again, we could have been caught in the explosion if we had.

“I’m so tired,” I whisper. That doesn’t even begin to describe it. The total exhaustion, the weakness in my muscles. “I should go back to my place.”

“No, you should stay here. The police said they will come by as soon as they know more.”

“Is that the only reason you want me to stay?”

“No. I want you to stay because I want you here. I don’t want you to be alone, and I don’t want to either. Please stay. You can lie down in my bed.”

I nod. The truth is, I would rather stay here as well. He doesn’t say another word, helping me up, showing me to the bedroom. My clothes reek of smoke, and I pull them off and toss them in a heap on the floor before crawling into bed and curling up on my side. I hear Colt calling Nix again and leaving another message as I close my eyes, grateful sleep is already pulling me under. I can’t stand being awake anymore.

* * *

“You need to eat something.”

“I’m not hungry. I already told you.” I’ve already told him multiple times, but he is relentless. I curl up, burying my face in Colt’s fluffy pillow. It smells like him.

“This isn’t about being hungry. This is about you taking care of yourself. You have to put something in you.” Turning my head enough to see him, I catch Colt looking out the window, frowning. “It’s almost dark, and you haven’t left the room all day. You at least need to eat.”