Page 69

North makes a zipper motion over his lips. “Let me finish clearing the scene, and then Rune can go grab whatever Elio needs. Tell him they can go with you now, and I’ll meet you at your place in a couple hours.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

He tugs me in for a tight hug. “You’re a good person. Rune will see that soon enough.”

I bite back the truth gnawing at my throat, begging me to confess everything to North. And I really should bring it up to Rune soon. If I can get permission to tell just one person, I’d like it to be my best friend.

Pulling back, I jog over to the ambulance and immediately step down on a sharp rock. Rune catches me before I hit the ground, and he blinks down at my feet, then up at me.

“Why the fuck are you barefoot?”

“I didn’t think about shoes. I got the call and kind of—ah—ran out the door.” I rub the back of my neck, feeling suddenly very self-conscious.

“Easton,” he breathes out.

“I know, I know. I’m an idiot, I don’t know how to take care of myself, it’s a wonder I can get dressed in the morning⁠—”

“I’d kiss you if it wouldn’t turn into a whole fucking thing,” he leans forward and whispers.

My cheeks go hot as I straighten up and pull myself away from his grasp. If he wanted to kiss me, I’d fucking let him. Instead of saying that, I lick my lips and drop my arms to my sides. “So. We’ll get whatever you and Elio need, and then North is going to grab his truck and pick up whatever won’t fit in my car.”

Rune frowns and glances back at Elio, who’s sleeping soundly on the stretcher. “I have a manual chair for him. That should fit in your back seat. But I want to make sure nothing got destroyed. I…I don’t even know how it happened. How he managed it.”

“Did you see him?” I ask.

Rune shakes his head. “No, I—” He gets cut off when Teddy appears, adjusting the processor on his left side.

“Hey, sorry,” he says. “I just need to take a quick report if you’re okay with it.”

Rune sighs. “Yeah. Uh…want to follow me inside? We can talk there while I grab Elio’s stuff.”

He nods, then sets his hand on Rune’s shoulder. “And if you need a place to stay, I have room.”

My stomach clenches hard. Rune should say yes. It won’t cause suspicion because everyone knows they’re friends. It makes the most amount of sense.

And now I want to scream because of course Rune is going to take him up on that offer and⁠—

“I think I’m going to crash with Easton,” he says. “Elio knows him, and he’s kind of attached.”

Teddy grins over at me. “Sounds good. But if you need anything—supplies or whatever—just text me, yeah?”

I realize after a second he’s talking to me, and I nod quickly. “Of course. I should go pull my car up and chat with Lex.”

Rune waves someone over, and a second later, Benny and Logan appear. I hadn’t even realized Logan was around. He’s biting his lip with worry as Benny hops up into the ambulance to check on Elio’s vitals.

“Keep an eye on my kid?” Rune asks him. “I have to chat with Teddy and grab our shit.”

Logan nods. “Of course. I won’t go anywhere.”

Rune gives me a look full of purpose, and I tuck that behind my ribs as I walk off and head toward the front of the truck, where Lex is texting on his phone. He looks up at me as I approach, and then he glances down at my feet and rolls his eyes.

“Seriously?”

“I panicked. Anyway, I need to bring my car through so I can load up Rune and the kid.”

Lex looks only a little bit surprised, but he nods and makes a waving motion toward the cop near the barricade, then points at me and gives him a thumbs-up.

“Is he going to know what that means?”