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“Fuck it.” My long strides meant I wrapped her in a hug just as the sobs started. The thing no one told you about friendship was that when their hearts broke, so did yours. Seeing Ash, I knew this was no different. Every shuddering gasp dug a little deeper at my heart. She twisted her fingers in my shirt, holding me to her. Eventually, it became less of me holding her together and more about the two of us connecting in a way that I hadn’t realized I needed.
I needed to know that she didn’t hate me for my cousin’s actions. That she could look at me and see past the blood I shared. I had to know that our friendship could survive the chaos he’d wrought. When Ash hugged me back, I knew we’d be okay.
This might be a roadblock, but it wasn’t the end of us.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, though the words didn’t feel like enough.
“You didn’t know,” she whispered, holding me tighter than before. “I know you wouldn’t put me in this position willingly. Plus, you’re making it better. Thank you for the divorce papers.”
“They aren’t enough.”
“They’re a good start, though. Having them with me, knowing I’ll be free of him in every way soon… It means a lot.” Ash looked away like she was embarrassed. “Sorry I snotted on you.”
Snorting, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and steered her inside the house. “You can snot on me anytime.”
“Gross.” Her wrinkled nose disappeared as she took in the new space.
It was so interesting watching someone else look at our home for the first time, but the smile on her face was a sight for sore eyes.
“It’s beautiful, Mari.”
“It’s all Grey’s work.”
“No doubt.” She laughed, but I didn’t mind. We all knew Greyson was better at decorating than I was.
Things were slightly more comfortable as I walked her through the house to the lounge we gravitated toward most. The area was sunken in, giving it a cozy feel despite the high ceilings. Grey had bought a massive couch with plenty of corners to snuggle into while we watched the television hung on the wall. A shit-ton of blankets were in a huge basket near the fireplace, and the room had big windows we could open to look out at the backyard whenever we wanted.
It was the perfect rainy-day spot.
Bonus, it was close to the kitchen, so we’d have easy access to Amara’s snacks once she was home.
I curled into my favorite corner of the couch with a blanket on my lap, tossing Ash one too. “How are you doing?”
For a second, I thought she was going to lie, maybe try to pretend that she was doing great. Then she sighed, her body drooping into the cushions with a soft huff. “Awful. I feel stupid and foolish. Childish, even.”
“Ash—”
She held up her hand. “I don’t want to discuss it. You asked and I answered, but I don’t want to talk about it now. I need time to get over it all.”
It was the only thing she’d asked for since we’d found out, and even if I hated it, I couldn’t tell her no. “Of course.”
She cleared her throat, shifting on the seat before turning to look at me with a renewed vigor in her gaze. “Rafael said he has a safe house I can use.”
“That’s good.” If Rafael offered a safe house, it meant that he knew he could actually keep her alive. “He won’t do anything to hurt you.”
“I know. That’s not what I want to talk about, though.” She cleared her throat, and my stomach dropped. “I’m going away for a while after this.”
Oh. It wasn’t that I wanted to keep her in Seattle—though I did—I just couldn’t guarantee her safety anywhere else.
Has she really been all that safe here?
No, she hadn’t. Fuck. “Where?”
She blew her hair out of her face, and I realized she needed a trim. Another thing about Aislynn that was off. She never let her hair go too long without professional styling. “Anywhere. I just need to heal, and I can’t do it here, where there are memories of him and me.”
And you.
She didn’t have to say it.
