Crown of Sins - Chaelisa

-Chapter Forty Four-

*Lisa's POV*

It takes me more than a few minutes to move slow enough to let Rosie keep sleeping.

But eventually, after some serious twisting that I wasn't sure I could do, I untangle myself from her limbs and sit on the edge of my bed. Parts of me scream at the loss of contact with her, but it's almost as satisfying watching her breathe slow and shallow as she sleeps.

Her skin shines where it peeks out from the covers, and an ache starts building in me to wake her up with nothing but my tongue. But I resist, which is almost a fucking miracle considering that I know she's naked beneath that thin layer of fabric.

The moment stretches, and I know that if I don't either get up or sneak back into the bed, then my watching her is going to start to feel creepy. So, with a tug in my chest, I stand as slowly as I can.

Snagging a gray pair of sweats on my way out of my bedroom, I head to the couch. There isn't a lot of this place that reminds me of Rosie. Yet. But the couch where she refused to sleep is one of them.

So when I sit down there's a smile on my face. It fades as I reach over for my cell phone. My work one is still evidence for now, plus there's no way I don't go on leave for at least a little while after this, so it's my personal one I grab to check in on whatever hell is waiting for me before I can fall asleep.

There's a voicemail from Shawn, which I hesitate to listen to. But curiosity gets the better of me, and I finally click the button.

"Hey dickhead," Shawn says through the speaker. There's rustling behind him, and I try to place where he was when he made the call. "So, every single higher tier member of The Scions has been taken off our wanted lists today. While you were getting scanned or stitches or whatever you did in the ER, about twenty of them were assassinated."

I almost drop the phone.

Rosie and I were at the hospital for a while. Between the worry over a concussion for me and setting and casting her wrist, daylight came and hours went by. Then we may have spent the rest of the day relishing the fact that we're both alive.

But still, it's been less than a full day.

I have so many questions. Ones I won't ask now, but,eventually I'd like to know. The message has still been playing, so I rewind it with my thumb to hear the rest.

"We have absolutely no proof, but I know in my bones that it was Devin. What I don't know is if she knew anything about it. I doubt it, to be honest. She was in the hospital, with you and without contact to anyone since we have her phone. But Devin basically wiped out The Scions in one twenty-four-hour period."

Shawn sighs after he gets the interesting information out. And I can feel him switching for irritation to let a smile pass over his lips before he adds the last part of his message.

"Funny how all of that worked out isn't it? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that she should be safe. And I'll see you whenever they let your stupid ass back into the building," Shawn finishes and then there's a click as he hangs up.

I can't stop the grin that takes over my whole face, no matter how hard I try. When we first met Rosie told me she knew how to take care of herself. I guess she was right all along.

There were so many movie pieces that I couldn't see. But there wasn't one time that she needed my saving. The grin keeps growing as I switch to my texts and type out a quick message to Shawn.

Me: What I think is funny that you're going to get all the credit for basically sitting back and watching me do both of our jobs

Me: See you in a few days, dick.

After a few other messages-mostly assuring my family that no, I'm not taking the opportunity to leave the Bureau, and a few extra to Thora assuring her that I really am fine-I stand.

The phone stays right where it was before I came out here, on the coffee table and on silent.

Then I head back to the bedroom, a glass of water in one hand and an extra blanket in the other. Rosie hasn't moved since I left, so I don't worry about being too carful as I cover her with the extra layer or when I set down the water on her nightstand. Just in case.

There's still part of me that wants to wake her up for my own selfish reasons. Instead, I stop at kissing her temple, my finger tracing the spot after my lips leave it. And then, with an extra thought, I kiss her fingers peeking out from the cast around her wrist.