There aren’t many things in my life I can define using the word perfect. That sure as hell isn’t me. It’s her. What she gives me. Her love. Her trust. Her, plain and fucking simple.

I knew the moment I saw Henley she was it for me. Acting on it took some time and planning on my part. The wait, painful as it fucking was, has been worth it. The road we took to get to this place, to where she and I were always supposed to be, would have made most people stop and run the other way. I rose to the challenge because I knew with every fucking thing in me she was worth it. Henley is worth everything.

Feeling her breath rush over my skin while she sleeps on my chest is one of those perfects. Having her here, knowing she is safe, is another. I wouldn’t trade a damn thing for moments like that.

“I’m not staying overnight,” Henley argues, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I told you I’m fine. Told the cop the same thing when he barged in here and nearly got a shot of all the goods while I was changing into this stupid ass gown. Take me home, Colt.”

“I can’t take you home,” I fire back, flashing her a smile. “Your apartment is a crime scene.”

“So much bullshit,” she mutters, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t see a need for you to be admitted, Henley” the doctor says, scribbling something down in the chart. “As long as you’re resting and you follow up with your primary care doctor.”

“She will,” I answer, earning me a dirty look from Henley.

Nodding, the doctor hands over discharge papers and scripts for pain meds and a round of antibiotics for the nasty gashes on her wrists from the zip-ties, that have now been wrapped in gauze. “No work for a week,” he says, arching a brow at her when she rolls her eyes again. “I’ll make sure the paperwork is sent to administration personally.”

“Great,” Henley blurts, sarcastically to his back when he leaves the room. “Thank you.”

Brushing the hair from her face, I carefully trace the bruise on her cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” I tell her, running my thumb over her bottom lip.

“You’re here,” she answers immediately. Taking my hands, she drops them into her lap, her eyes following them. Lacing our fingers, she finally looks up. “Don’t you dare cheapen that by blaming yourself. It doesn’t belong to you.”

“Henley.”

“You’re also here,” she whispers, pressing my hand to her chest. “You have the three things that I’ve never completely given to anyone.” Letting go of the hand in her lap, she runs the tips of her fingers along my jaw, a sweet smile spreading across her face. “My heart, my love and my trust. That’s what I’ve given to you, Colt. I have no doubt in my mind that you’re the only one that could ever take me as I am and love every single inch, every flaw, every moment of insanity. There’s no blame there,” she says, a tear slipping down her cheek. “None here,” she continues, giving the hand over her heart a squeeze. “I don’t have room for any of that.” Smirking, she arches a brow. “In case you didn’t know, your ass takes up a lot of space in my heart.”

“Yeah, babe,” I admit, not bothering to hide the smile she has managed to pull out of me. “I sure as fuck hope so.” Pulling her close, I kiss her, needing more than the taste I got before we killed Fowler.

Her body softens, relaxing into mine. She sighs, lips parting, giving me exactly what I need. “Mmm,” she hums, her hands going to my forearms, when my hand slides around to her back, my fingers feeling the bare skin at the opening of her gown. “Either I break this up now,” she whispers, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Or we end up giving anyone who walks in here one hell of a show because you’re about to cop a feel.”

Knowing she is probably right, I pull back and stand to my feet. “Get dressed,” I say, handing over the scrubs the nurse brought in to replace the ruined ones she was wearing when I brought her in. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

Henley

After what feels like an eternity, we finally make it back to the clubhouse. Since my apartment is closed off until God fucking knows when, my temporary lodging is once again the Twisted Mayhem Compound. Although, unlike the prison it felt like when I came here to stay weeks ago, I feel more comforted by the faces I see filling the main room when we step through the doors.

“Fucking finally!” Climbing out of her seat, Rebel bolts toward me like a linebacker ready to tackle. Standing to their feet, Shy and Ro follow, their faces filled with relief. “I was losing my shit,” she says, wrapping her arms around me.

“Can’t have that,” I grunt, patting her back.

Pulling back, she holds me at arm’s reach, looking me over. “You look like hell,” she says, shaking her head.

“You should she the other guy,” I blurt, realizing the heaviness of my words the moment they leave my lips. “I mean—”

“You did what you had to do,” she says, squeezing my hand.

“Yeah, I know.” I nod, but my words lack conviction. “I really don’t feel like talking about it. What I want is sleep. Lots of it.”

“Okay.” She hugs me to her again, this time Ro and Shy join in. “Get some rest. We can catch up tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” I sigh, hugging her tight to me. “I want to go see Jace, too.”

“I figured you’d want to go,” Shy says, giving me a small smile. “Maybe after breakfast.”

“Sure.”

“Rest,” Colt says, his hand coming to rest in the small of my back. “Shy? Would you throw something edible together for Henley and me?” he asks, looking her way. “Who the hell knows how long it’s been since she ate.”

“Yeah,” Shy blurts, already heading for the kitchen. “Give me twenty minutes.”

“Thanks, darlin’,” Colt calls after her.

Colt and I avoid a bunch of time spent in long conversations, recapping everything that happened. Getting down to his room, I kick off my shoes on my way to the bed. Sliding beneath the covers, I wait until Colt settles beside me, then lay my head on his chest. As usual, his hand moves to my hair, fingers stroking through the strands. Wrapping my arm around him, I tuck myself into his side, loving the way we fit together.

His hard edges to my soft. His calm control to my off the wall crazy. Every inch of him mine. All of my salvaged heart belonging to him after weathering its past demolition.

“Hen?”

“Yeah?”

His fingers slow, sliding down to rest on my back. “Know you say you’re okay, baby, but I know you. You’re not gonna come out and say when you’re strugglin’ to work through shit. You may not wanna talk it out now, but at some point you need to air it out. Want you to know I’m here for that when you’re ready.”

“I killed someone,” I breathe, saying the words out loud for the first time, to the only person that I trust enough to see that deep into my soul. Looking up at him, I blink back the tears. “It happened so quick, Colt. All I wanted to do was get away.”

“You did what you had to do to survive,” he assures me. “You fight. That’s what you do, babe.”

Sniffling, I nod. Settling against his chest once again, I close my eyes, breathing in everything that is Colt. “That’s what we do.”