Bad Wolf (Wild Men 4)

I believe him. And I guess time will convince my family, too. Time. We’ll have that now. And although I have butterflies somersaulting in my stomach, I have to stop doubting and believe everything will turn out okay.

Matt already said he’ll offer Jarett his job at the garage back. Mom said Jarett can stay with us for as long as he likes. And Merc threatened to prepare playlists for him.

Jarett’s fingers clench convulsively around mine. He’s stopped in the middle of the room.

“Gigi.” His voice is choked. Just that. He says nothing else. His lashes are wet when he looks down at me.

“Welcome back,” I tell him, leaning into his side. “See, the thing is… I’ve waited for you all my life, and now you’re here. Please stay?”

“You’re my girl,” he whispers, and pulls me closer for a kiss. “I love you more than I can ever fucking say, and I’m right where I wanna be.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jarett

I sit on Gigi’s bed, my hands hanging between my knees, and let out a long breath. It’s quiet in here, the only light the small lamp on her nightstand.

I can’t fucking believe I’m back here. This is like a fairytale ending. One I’m not sure I deserve.

Mom and Seb are dead.

Will the rest of the gang come after me? Declan is dead, along with Angel and Mav. So are Shem and Elena.

All of them dead. I doubt Jorge cares whether I’m alive or not. The rest of the gang have scattered.

Yeah, this doesn’t feel like a fairytale at all. Except, not all fairytales are about fucking roses and rainbows. Some are woven from thorns and blood, Connor used to say. Just as long as they end well. As long as you end up alive.

That’s the main thing. As long as you survive. As long as you find happiness.

Am I happy?

Maybe I will be some day.

Being with Gigi makes me happy. Could it be as simple as that?

I wipe a hand over my mouth, stare at my suitcase without really seeing it. Gigi kept it here all these months, but she said she put away most of my clothes in her closet.

Like I live here. Like I belong here, with her.

I guess I do.

A smile spreads on my face. Not cuz of where I am, on her hot pink quilt, in her cute girly room, but cuz I’m with her, and she’ll spend her night with me.

Hopefully her life, too.

I take a deep breath. She waited for me, just like she said. She kept me sane. And I want her more than ever, like no other girl before, and miss her every minute she’s away from me. This is it, right? This is it for me.

She’s my girl. I love her. And she says she feels the same way.

Could I be so lucky for once in my fucking life?

The door opens.

“Hey. There you are.” She’s standing there, smiling, so fucking pretty just dressed in jeans and a red sweater, her long hair loose on her shoulders. “I was looking for you.” She comes inside, shuts the door, and sits down beside me. “You disappeared. I went to play with the baby and then I couldn’t find you.”

I nod. Stare at her, drinking her in.

“I got scared,” she admits, her voice low. “I thought maybe you’d left.”