She shakes her head against my shoulder. Her hair tickles my nose. She hugs me tighter, and I feel every tremor running through her body. "You came. That's what matters. Thank you."
Her words make my heart go wild, and my knees feel like they want to buckle. Unable to stop myself, I wrap my arms around her body and crush her to my chest. She groans softly, but doesn't complain. Rather, she melts against me, relief dripping from her limbs.
I want to apologize again for failing her. For not paying better attention, but then I hear the sound of footsteps behind us and a low whistle ringing out.
I jerk around, one arm still locked around Bunny, ready to defend her before I see Trouble and Ace. They’ve missed the action, barely.
Trouble's gripping his phone, screen still lit. Hex must've gotten to him. Ace takes one look at the scene, at the body, the blood flecks staining the ground, and Bunny in my arms, before lifting his brows.
"Damn. It was Reuben?" He lets out a small sigh as he sinks down to get a closer look. "Talk about a letdown. I had my money on a pissed-off gambler."
Bunny flinches, and Ace sees it. He must register what’s happened. The amusement drains out of his face so fast it's like someone flipped a switch. He curses under his breath, looks at the man on the floor, and frowns.
"We'll play cleanup." He nudges Reuben's leg with the toe of his boot, then nods at the slight rise and fall of his chest. "We're gonna need a ride to the docks. Still gotta talk to this guy about my bike."
Good. Ace will make sure he's handled.
Trouble sighs and starts tapping at his phone. "Just my luck, I'd get stuck here. I'll see what we can get."
While they work, I focus on Bunny. Stroking her back and her hair, I angle my body so she can't pay attention to the quiet planning happening behind me.
"I don't want to be here anymore, Roland." She whispers my name. My real name. It sounds different when she says it. Like it’s not a part of a bad memory.
I press my mouth to her temple, her cheek, and finally, the corner of her lips. "Let's get you changed first. Then we'll leave."
I pick her up. She doesn't protest—just curls into my chest as if she belongs there. I shoot Ace a look over my shoulder. For once, he doesn't crack a joke and just nods.
"Message me if you need anything. Don't let anyone in here until everything's cleaned up and—"
"I know the protocol. Go, man. Get her out of here." He shoos me toward the door. I don't stay another minute.
At Bunny's murmur, I grab her discarded corset off the counter and take her straight to her locker. She doesn't blush when she changes. I try not to stare but fail.
Not because I want to. Because I need to see every inch of her. Checking for more bruises, cuts or marks. On the outside, she’s okay. But the inside…Fuck.
Once she's in a t-shirt and jeans, she swipes at her face once—quick, like she's embarrassed by the tears—and leads the way out. I don't miss the way she clings to my jacket on her shoulders. Like it makes her safer.
The woman who’d found me, apparently named Rue, is waiting by the door, looking startled. She looks at Bunny, then at me, then back at Bunny.
Bunny hugs her and thanks her.
If it weren't for this woman, more could've happened. So I thank her, too. She nods like she's not sure what to do with that.
We push through the casino floor. Staff glance at us, then quickly look away. They know better than to ask questions. They'll be smart enough not to say anything to Bunny when I'm not at her side.
"I think you should take a couple of days off." I keep my voice soft, a complete one-eighty of what I was only minutes ago. "The casino can pay you for sick leave."
Bunny nods. She'd agree to anything right now. I could tell her the sky was green and she'd bob her chin.
I should've made sure that bastard was dead.
The thought hits me as we reach the door. If he were dead, he couldn't come back. Couldn't try again. Couldn't look at her ever again.
But killing a man in front of her—would that change us? Change her?
I don't know, and I can't risk finding out.
Letting Ace and Trouble handle it has to be the right call.