Page 141 of Beni

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

August dragged in a shaky breath. “God, for what?”

“That you heard it. That I scared you. All of this.”

“It’s okay, I’m just happy you’re here.”

No, it wasn’t okay at all.

He would do his best to make sure it never happened again.

It was the best he could do.

“You know,” she said, moving the blankets aside so that she could sit on the edge of the bed beside him, “your family is pretty amazing.”

“Are they?”

They’d always just been his.

“And overwhelming.”

Beni laughed.

It still hurt.

“They are definitely that,” he muttered, resisting the urge to rub at the deep ache in his chest. “But that’s what makes them great.”

“It does, you’re right.”

He managed to find the strength to reach over and grab onto her wrist. He didn’t need to say anything, simply tug on her arm to get what he wanted. Which was her resting beside him in the bed, her head resting on his shoulder, so he could feel her heartbeat and hear her steady breaths.

He had been the one who almost died.

It was her that he wanted to feel alive.

Funny how that worked.

“Everyone knows, by the way,” she said quietly.

“Knows what?”

“That I’m staying here in Chicago. I called my parents a couple days ago. I chatted with Alessa before I went to the movies with Cam that afternoon, too, and told her I would take the job and start whenever she needed me to.”

Beni found himself grinning. “Oh?”

“Mmhmm.”

“What did your parents say?”

“They’re going to help me pack up my apartment, so I don’t have to fly back right now.”

“So …”

August leaned up just enough for him to see her smile, before she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. Even though she pulled away far too soon for his liking, he still felt that kiss fucking everywhere.

“So,” she said, “I’m not going anywhere unless I’m going with you.”

“That sounds perfect to me.”