Page 112 of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad World

“Not only that.” Dr. Mallory’s voice was thick with emotion. “You fought back. You defended yourself and had the courage to do what was needed to save yourself. I’m so incredibly proud of you, Annabelle.” She blinked several times before straightening her shoulders and smiling at Noah. “I once told you that you were good for her, but I was wrong. You’re good foreach other.” With that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door. “Call if you need me, but I think you’re in fine hands tonight.” And then, she was gone.

Annabelle watched her leave with tears in her eyes. She visibly swallowed before facing Noah. “She’s right, you know. I amsoooogood for you.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Come on.” He stood and gently tugged her to her feet. “Let’s get you upstairs to shower and change.”

“I don’t think I can face going upstairs yet,” she said. “I’ll shower down here. Could you get me some clean clothes?”

“Absolutely.”

As they made their way through the office, Evan, still delirious thanks to whatever they’d given him for the pain, grinned widely. “Anna-belly, I fried that guy for you!”

“Yes, you did,” she said with a chuckle.

“I’m a hero,” he announced again, making everyone laugh.

“Don’t worry,” Harris told them. “I’m videoing all of this for posterity.”

“And our mother,” Logan added.

Holding Annabelle’s hand, Noah escorted her to the bathroom. He couldn’t stop himself from checking it was clear before she entered. It would be a long time before he felt they were completely safe in the warehouse.

“The police will be here tomorrow to take statements,” he said. “They have their hands full tonight with gang violence. Which means we can follow the doctor’s orders and take care of you.”

Wide, dark eyes met his. “Did we take Hanson’s money? He asked if we did. I know we were trying to take it, but did we manage it?”

Noah winced internally, wondering which bruises were associated with that line of questioning. In hindsight, perhaps it hadn’t been the best idea to go after the gang leader’s money. “Yes, we did.”

“I’m glad. What are we doing with it?”

“We’re giving it away.”

Her smile was pure satisfaction. “He’d hate that.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“I’m not sure I can sleep in the loft tonight, Noah. Do you think we could move a bed into the storeroom down here?”

He completely understood. The apartment still showed damage from the latest Demons attack. “I’ll get the boys onto it. What about food? Katrina’s ordering in. What do you feel like eating?”

Annabelle thought about it for a second. “Everything. I want all the food. And don’t forget dessert.”

Noah chuckled as he leaned in to kiss her. “Go shower. I’ll make sure there’s enough food here to feed an army when you get out.”

“You know, that’s exactly what we are,” she said as she walked into the bathroom. “An army.”

The door closed behind her, and Noah pressed his palm flat against it. Safe. She was safe. Eddie Hanson was in jail, and no matter what happened at his upcoming trial, he’d spend the rest of his life in prison. Today’s events ensured that.

Noah closed his eyes and took the first easy breath he’d taken all day.

The “everything” Annabelle wanted to eat turned out to be copious amounts of pizza chased down with pints of ice cream. They ate in the second-floor office because Annabelle wasn’t ready to face her loft just yet. Smiles had replaced tension, and the ragtag team laughed easily with each other as they ate.

Halfway through the pizza part of their meal, Evan laid his head on the desk in front of him and fell asleep. There was no waking him. The self-declared hero had finally run out of steam. His brothers carried him to his bed in the room they shared at the back of the building and took turns checking on him throughout the evening.

As though scenting food, the detectives dropped by to update them on the Demons situation. MacMillan fell on the pizza with obvious delight. Johnson was more interested in a cold bottle of beer. He sipped it after loosening his tie.

“Long, long day,” he told them as he relaxed into a chair. “We’re on top of the fighting now and the city’s cells are full of gangbangers. Should be a quiet night tonight.”

Noah lifted his own beer in a toast. “To the cops,” he said.