Ending Link (Link Dane 2)

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FOUR

I couldn't pinpoint the last time I had allowed myself to roll around in bed, not worrying about moving one limb out of it or about chasing things around the house. I cranked open one eye, afraid to see anything that would demolish my peaceful moment in heaven.

When I didn't spot Joy's crooked smile in my line of vision, I let out a deep sigh. It was strange not waking up with my daughter in my face. Lexie insisted on taking Joy with her for a much overdue sleepover. I couldn't even say no. The second Joy had heard Lexie's suggestion, she was packed and ready to go.

My heart was still in my mouth at the thought of Joy being separated from me. But Link assured me Benji was gone. For good.

I recalled how the conversation went. How it went from one frightful question to something dark. I was scared of myself when my initial feeling was relief now that he was gone. Another despicable human capable of inflicting harm to anyone was erased from this world. I had every reason to be glad. But why did I still feel that dread lingering inside of me?

Was it that Benji was still a human at the end of the day? Someone I had conversed with, albeit both times I was in dire situations.

"How is he gone?" I had asked Link, my eyes following him as he paced in front of the bed.

I craved to gather my knees into my chest and bury my face in it. But all I could do was lay still and listen as Link told me Benji was never to be heard of again.

I never brought his name up again.

I heard the shuffling of sheets behind me and then a second later felt Link's warm hand trail up my thigh. He circled my wound, the area still bruised and tender. I could manage limping with it now which was a huge progress, a step in the right direction.

I grabbed his hand and brought it closer to my chest as he came in closer from behind, pressing his whole front into me. His lips appeared on my neck, trailing feather-like kisses across the exposed skin.

"Good morning," he murmured between each of one his kisses.

I let out a sigh. It's been several weeks since the attack and each day after I got discharged from the hospital, I had slept in the same bed as Link. I believe it surprised me more than Link how I didn't put up one bit of a fight when he so much as demanded me to stay at his.

I had simply shrugged and allowed him to lead the way.

There was no regret in my decision to keep my mouth shut. I now had the luxury of waking up next to Link every morning and if we were alone, he would sneak in as much touches and kisses and teenage foreplay as possible. I was giddy. He made me giddy.

And this morning was the first where Joy wasn't here to barge in the room any second.

I turned to my back and faced him. He was staring down at me, holding my gaze with his brown eyes. In this dim lit room, they looked so dark and mysterious. But Link was anything but I had gathered from the past two weeks. He had opened up to me slowly, telling me more and more about himself than I ever heard.

For one, he doted over his godson, Skye, Lucian's son who was just a year older than Joy. They had play dates planned in the future.