I didn’t argue. It felt nice to be taken care of. I sat down and relaxed as Tex grabbed whatever Melony told him to. My eyes closed for a second. Warm fingers brushed along my flesh, drawing me out of the bliss I was basking in.

Blinking, I found Tex wiping away the blood around my wound. His brows were furrowed as he concentrated. “Melony said you opened it a little, but there’s no need for her to restitch it.”

I gave a curt nod and let him continue to clean the blood up and rebandage me.

“Need a pain pill?”

“Maybe later.” I stood up once he was done, watching him as he cleaned up. He even grabbed the sanitized wipes and wiped everything down.

“I’ll order us something to eat unless you want my cooking.”

“Your cooking is far deadlier than any bullet wound.” Tex could make a sandwich, but anything else was a toss-up.

Laughter filled the room as Tex pushed me toward the bed. “Yeah, I know.”

I got into the bed and groaned as the ache settled in further. Tex’s mouth opened before he closed it.

“What?” I asked.

“You missed Pen too?”

I grunted and got comfortable. The fur ball was important to Tex. And I might have missed hearing his bell or even the resounding purr he let out anytime he sat on Tex’s chest. Or when I pet him the way he was supposed to be petted. Tex was much too gentle. Pen enjoyed it when I didn’t hold back, rubbing up against me and looking up at me with those big, soft eyes.

“Go get food.”

Tex’s face lit up. “Oh, you did. I can’t wait to tell him.”

“Just bring him home.” If Penelope was there, I knew for certain Tex wasn’t going anywhere.

Enzo was still asleep by the time I stepped out the door. I made sure he was nestled up with Pen, a smile on my lips as I thought about the two of them cuddling. He liked to pretend he only enjoyed Pen’s company so-so. Strange that ever since Chelsea had dropped him off, the two of them had been more cuddled up than I was with Pen.

He loves that orange menace.

I pulled my phone from my chest and stared at the screen. Focus. I needed to get this shit over with. I’d had time to think. Enzo had broken me out of that cold, frozen place. I was ready to move on with my life. For now. I had no idea when it would all come crashing down again. My mind would be flooded with those horrible memories, but I couldn’t stay locked away forever.

My fingers hovered over the screen before I sucked down a deep breath and called my boss. The phone rang a few times before it was picked up.

“Caster? Where the hell are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said, not exactly answering Sergeant White’s question. “I need to—”