Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
I LOVE YOU
CONNOR
“And you haven’t noticed anything strange?”
Like people dying all around me?
“No,” I said, shifting on the hard plastic chair.
Uncle Rick had commandeered an exam room so the police could grill us about the text message.
The cop shared a frustrated look with my uncle.
Frowning, I said, “If we knew more, don’t you think we’d tell you?”
Sarah nodded in agreement.
The cop flipped his notebook closed and sighed. “Okay. If you remember anything, or get any more of these messages, I want you to call me immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” Sarah mumbled, standing and picking up her bag.
“Why don’t you go check on Jamie and your mom?” Uncle Rick said, motioning us out of the small room.
In the hallway, Sarah let out a breath.
“You okay?” I asked, pulling her to my side as we walked to the elevators.
“I think so? I’m just so confused. Why is this happening?”
I shook my head and hit the up arrow.
Sarah glanced down the empty hall and then back at me. “It feels like all of this is my fault.” The elevator opened, and we got on.
“But you didn’t even know Deidra or Bethany.”
The doors slid shut, and Sarah turned to me. “But what about Hailey and your friends? I was there, Connor.”
“So were Mona, Kat, Jamie, and I.”
“But the text—”
“Is probably some asshole pulling a stupid prank.”
She fixed me with a sour look, her cute little nose scrunching in annoyance.
Grabbing her hand, I dragged her toward me. “Kirksville is a small town. We could find a million and one ways we’re all connected to these murders.” I kissed her forehead.
“I guess,” she said, her face softening as she looked up at me. “I’m just scared.”
Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, I cupped her cheek. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
Her eyes opened, and she leaned into my palm. “I trust you, Connor.”
The tightness in my chest lessened, and despite the tragedy we’d just survived, I felt a sense of hope.
Of all the people relying on me, Sarah offered the space for me to be vulnerable and raw.
My weaknesses and flaws didn’t make her push me aside.
If anything, they drew her closer until she provided a support I’d never experienced before.
We shared a tired smile, and the elevator doors opened. Hand in hand, we navigated the halls to Jamie’s room.
The quiet beep of the heart monitor and the whirl of the machines were the only noises in the sterile room.
Mom sat beside Jamie’s bed, quietly crying and praying.
“Do you need anything, Ms. McCormick?” Sarah asked, placing a hand on Mom’s shoulder.
Mom patted it and shook her head. “No. I’m fine. It’s just hard to believe that all this is happening. So many lost lives.”
Sarah squeezed Mom’s shoulder, then sat in the chair on the other side of the bed.
I sat next to Mom and took her hand in mine. “How’s he doing?”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but he’s doing okay. Dr. Reyes says he’ll wake up any time now. It’s all up to his brain.”
“Will he have any lasting effects?”
Mom gave me a gentle smile. “We won’t know until he wakes up, but the injury wasn’t nearly as bad as it looked. Your brother is one lucky guy.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful my brother was a walking good luck charm. Jamie would make it out of this whole ordeal relatively intact.
“And he’ll be safe here in the hospital until they find whoever did this,” Mom added, patting my hand. “I want the two of you to be careful out there.”
“We will be,” I assured her.
We shuffled into my apartment sometime after dawn, exhausted and ready to sleep. As soon as I left the hospital, I was finally able to drop the brave act.
“You should probably shower,” Sarah said from behind me, her voice soft like she knew I was barely holding on.
I dropped my chin to my chest and exhaled. “I’m tired.”
So tired. And hurting.
Warm hands ran over my back, loosening the knots in my shoulders. “I know, baby, but you need to get the blood off.” She wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her soft, warm body against me, providing me with her strength and comfort.
I lifted my hand and grimaced at the blood caked under my nails. No matter how hard I scrubbed at the hospital, I couldn’t get clean. “I tried to get it off but—”
“Let me help you.” She gently guided me to the bathroom. “It’s been a long day,” she muttered, turning the shower on to warm up.
I numbly nodded, lifting my arms to allow her to pull my shirt off. Specks of Jamie’s blood dotted my skin. I glanced in the mirror and had to look away. It was too much.
Sarah undressed with fast, efficient moves, keeping her bra and panties on, before stripping off my gym shorts and boxer briefs. A blush bloomed across her full cheeks, and she turned away from my naked body and toward the bathtub. Clearing her throat, she said, “In you go.”
A smile tugged at my lips, Sarah’s sweetness easing the deep ache in my chest.
Stepping under the warm stream, I let out a heavy breath and closed my eyes, wetting my face and hair. When I opened my eyes, the shower curtain was closed, and Sarah stood in front of me, shampoo at the ready.
“Your bra’s getting wet,” I husked out, my eyes followed the water droplets beading up on the blue lace.
She glanced down and bit her lip. “Um. I didn’t want you to think I was . . .” Looking up at me, she gave me a warm smile. “I just want to take care of you.”
Her simple words cracked open what little defenses I still had up around her.
No one had asked me how I was doing. Not one person thought I might need a hug after finding my brother bloody and unconscious, or finding out that two of my oldest friends were brutally murdered.
But Sarah was there, her hands in my hair, washing away Jamie’s blood. Every caress was an affirmation that she cared. She didn’t demand conversation or assurances that I was fine. All she wanted was to be there for me.
Pink suds swirled down the drain, and I couldn’t help but watch, transfixed by the evidence of Jamie’s near tragedy.
Kimmy and Linc weren’t so lucky.
“None of that,” she murmured, lifting my chin. Cleaning my face, she kept her piercing blue eyes on me. “We’re washing away the night so you can finally rest. You need a break.”
I tilted my head back, rinsing out the soap. Wiping my eyes, I looked down at Sarah and cupped her cheek. “Thank you.”
She leaned into my hand, a confused smile on her face. “For what?”
“For being you.”
Rolling her eyes, she turned her head and kissed my palm. Her breath hitched as if she were holding something back. There was no way that she wasn’t completely freaked out, but there she was, putting my feelings first.
I was more than familiar with the move and hated that she was doing it, especially since she was doing it for me.
More than anything, I wanted her to lean on me like I was leaning on her.
I brushed a kiss against her lips. “I love you, Sarah.”
She sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. “What?” she whispered.
I tilted her chin up so she could see just how serious I was. “I love you.”
“Oh,” she whispered, her hands fisting against my chest.
“I’m pretty sure I fell for you the first night we met, but every day since, you’ve only made me fall harder.
Obviously, you’re fucking gorgeous, funny, and smart, but goddamn do you have a big heart.
No one else has ever worried about me the way you do.
No one else has ever appreciated me the way you do.
But it’s not just me. I see how you are with your friends and my family. You’re a fucking angel, Sarah.
She went up on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips to mine. “I love you too.” Leaning back, her pretty blue eyes met mine. “I feel crazy saying it after only a couple of months of knowing each other, especially after what just happened, but fuck it—I love you.“
Steam curled around us in the tiny space as we shared a tired smile.
Ever the perfectionist, Sarah dragged the sudsy washcloth down my arms, scrubbing the blood flecks off.
“Tonight was scary.” Her eyes shimmered with tears as she focused on my neck and chest. “If anything happens to you—” She looked up at me through wet lashes. “Nothing can happen to you.”
Sarah shook with vulnerability, her hands absentmindedly wiping down my stomach. The humidity curled the loose strands of hair, making her look softer, mirroring her stricken expression.
I caught her hand and took the washcloth. “I’m not going anywhere.”
A fat tear rolled down her cheek, and she nodded. “Okay,” she sniffled, letting out an uncomfortable laugh. “Sorry, I—”
“Never apologize for being honest with me.” I stepped closer, pressing her against the tiled wall. “You can tell me anything.”
She blinked up at me, her lips slightly parted.
“I want you to tell me everything, and I’ll do the same.”
The corners of her mouth tilted up, and she slightly nodded.
“Good,” I breathed against her lips, kissing her softly.
A tiny noise came from the back of Sarah’s throat, and she slid her arms around my neck. My tongue brushed against hers, slowly deepening our kisses. I hugged her to my body, comforted by the gentle give of her curves.
Sarah craned her neck to accommodate our height differences, her limbs straining as she struggled to get closer.
My cock hardened against her belly, gliding across her wet skin.
Sarah yanked her mouth away, panting. “Connor, I don’t know if we should be doing this now.” Her half-lidded gaze studied my face.
“I need to feel something good, Sarah.” I kissed her jaw. “Please.” I sounded desperate, but I didn’t care. Sarah had every right to know just how much I needed her.
“Okay,” she moaned as I kissed her pulse. “I’ll give you whatever you need.”
“You’re so goddamn perfect for me,” I murmured against her skin, sliding my hand down to her ass and squeezing.
She lifted her leg, resting her heel on the edge of the tub.
Reaching behind her, I unclasped her bra and flung it past the curtain. Palming her breast, I took her nipple in my mouth, swirling the tip with my tongue until it was stiff. Taking it between my teeth, I gently tugged.
“Connor,” Sarah gasped, her fingers twisting in my hair. Her hips tilted up, and she moaned as I dragged my cock between her thighs.
I bent my knees, kissing her hard. The tip of my dick nudged her lace-covered slit, and I groaned. “Can I rip these?”
“What?” she asked, her hips rolling against me.
I twisted the band of lace at her hip in my hand. “Can I rip these?”
“Yes,” she said, smiling.
With one yank, the seam ripped, pulling the panties from her body.
Giggling, she kissed me. “I have an IUD and was recently tested,” she said against my lips. “If you’re okay with—”
I didn’t need to be told twice. Notching the head of my cock into her warm slit, I let out a shaky breath. I’d never gone bare with anyone before, and the weight of it hit me surprisingly hard.
Sarah’s small hands framed my jaw, bringing my gaze back to her gorgeous face. “Connor,” she whimpered.
I eased into her, and she gasped, stretching to accommodate me. Stilling deep inside, I kissed her deeply, claiming every bit of her as mine.
No one had ever been mine.
Sarah’s hips moved back and then forward, taking me deeper.
My mouth fell open, and an unintelligible sound came from the back of my throat. We rocked at a steady pace, caressing and kissing each other as if it would be the last time. Sarah’s touch was reverent, gentle in a way I didn’t know was possible.
When has anyone ever been gentle with me?
Stroking her clit, I groaned, “You feel amazing.”
A garbled noise fell from her mouth as her pussy fluttered around my cock. Her head fell back against the wall, giving me more of her neck to kiss.
Sarah fisted my hair and pulled my head up. Her lips crashed into mine as her body tensed and then relaxed. The way she gripped me spurred my orgasm, drawing a surprised moan from me. Our tongues tangled as we stayed twisted together.
Panting, I pulled away, sucking down a deep breath. “I love you.”
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at me with a soft smile. “I love you too.”
We stood in the shower, murmuring sweet words and caressing each other until the water ran cold. It was a reprieve from the storm swirling around us, too bad it wouldn’t last.