Page 166 of Fierce Storm
“I promise you, that asshole will be sent packing as soon as we’ve finished talking. I’m sorry you ever doubted that.”
“No, I’m sorry. I?—”
“You have nothing to be sorry about. How else can I help?”
“I need you to let me be the one that confronts him. I thought I was okay. I’m not. And-”
“You want to confront him?”
“I do.Alone. I want to remind him of what he did to me and make sure he knows how messed up it was. I’m not even sure he realizes the damage he did.”
“Fuck, Keeley. I can’t. Not alone. I understand you wanting to talk to him, but please let me be there.”
I reach for her hand again, and this time she lets me take it, curling her fingers through mine as she contemplates my request. “You’d have to promise to give us space, and you can’t say a word.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.How am I supposed to do that?
“Sal?” she pleads as her eyes grow round.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes.”Dammit.
“You can be there.”
“Thank you.” A breath rushes from my mouth. It’s not exactly what I want to do, but at least she won’t be alone with him again. If I can help it, that will be the last time she ever has to see his face. “We might need to stall him to keep him in San Francisco. You’re not seeing him while the pain is still fresh.”
“I know. Maybe we can go after they release me.”
“I’ll set it up.”
“Thank you.”
She squeezes my hand, and a little part of me wishes she didn’t have such a big hold over me. I want to kill him. I also want to do everything she asks of me. And she will always win. Though, I can use it to my advantage.
“Since I agreed to your plan over my own, I have a request for you.”
“Oh-kay.” Keeley frowns, making me laugh.
“I want you to stay with me after they discharge you.”
“That’s not necessary. It’s not like he’s going to track me down at home and attack me after I confront him.”
“Jesus, Keels.” My stomach knots as if that’s now a possibility. “I wasn’t thinking that at all.” Until you put it in my head. “I want you to stay with me because I don’t want you to be alone. In fact, my guess is that the doctors will insist on it anyway.”
“You don’t want me to be alone?” she asks, her tone suspicious.
“Yes. The doctor will likely say you need someone with you, so it makes sense.”And I want to be the one to take care of you.
Always. From here on out.
Chapter Forty-Six
KEELEY
After relenting on me staying at my place instead of his, Sal helps me up to my apartment when I’m discharged a couple of days later, a bag in his hand as proof he’s following through with his insistence on staying with me until I feel better. As the doctor ordered.
