Divided (11 page)

"You know your brother so well. She's one of the sympathizers. She's an epidemiologist."

"Look at you breaking out the big words," I teased, and he tickled my stomach in response.

When he let me breathe again, I was on my back with his arms wrapped around me as he stared passionately into my eyes. "I missed your laugh, baby."

I stared at his lips. "A lot of people have."

He dropped his forehead to my shoulder in a defeated way. "Gary said you've been like a different person. I don't want that, Evie." His blue eyes practically grabbed at me as he lifted his head again. "When I think about you, I imagine what you're doing and I think about you smiling and laughing with Gary and Sonya. I don't wanna think about you sad and depressed."

"It's hard to be happy when I don't know where you are or if you're alive or if Harm's okay. I can't just pretend the world is a happy place and go skipping along." Did he really think I could live a happy, carefree life without him?

"Okay, so I'll text you. Every chance I get, I'll send you something on your prepaid phone. I don't know how often I can, but I'll do my best."

I was afraid to get my hopes up, but if Dev said he could do it, I believed him. "Should I text you back?"

He kissed me again, slow and savoring-like. "To hear from you would be—" He brushed his lips against my neck. "Just don't mention names." He came back to my lips. "I love kissing you."

"So wait," I whispered against his persistent lips. "You were telling me about this chick my brother's into."

He lifted his eyes to mine again. "Right. She studies my blood a lot. She says I'm the strongest with the most infected cells hanging out right alongside the most resistant cells. Something about how they bonded together makes me different."

I put my hand on his cheek. "You're special in every other way, so I can't imagine you not being special when it comes to the infection too."

"The most special thing about me is you, baby." He brushed his fingers through my hair several times before resuming our previous discussion. "I owe Kim too and not just for jumping between Harm and me. She's pulled me through some tough moments—her and Harm. I read what he put in the letter about being locked up, but that was just in the beginning. It's been so damn tough every single day. It's why I understand how you wound up in the hospital."

I winced at the mention of my lowest moment, but he didn't seem to be judging me. I loved that he wanted me to know he understood.

"Kim's had to give me a few 'get your act together and fight' speeches. Harm just says, 'If you think I'm gonna let your whiny, baby ass marry my sister, you've got another thing coming. You gotta prove yourself, kid.' And I get up and keep fighting."

I smiled at his imitation of Harm—it was pretty close to how he sounded. "You must have won him over by now if he gave his permission."

"Yeah, I was really surprised. I asked him about a hundred times, maybe more. Finally, when I got the call about my mom, I told him I'd find a way to see you even if it meant killing these idiots who are following me. I told him I was serious and would marry you with or without his permission if you'd have me, but that I didn't think you'd say yes without it. He got up and walked away from me." His eyes turned so sad and he stared at my chin. "I thought I lost, and between that and my mom, I was a mess. But before I left, he handed me the letter and told me not to open it. He said to give it to you before I proposed. I asked him if he was giving me permission. He almost looked in pain, but nodded and patted me on the back before walking away. I don't know if he'll be happy or pissed when I get back. "

I stroked his hair, enjoying the feel of his thin, black strands as they glided through my fingers. "I've always been his baby sister, even as I got older. He's always been my protector. I think he took that whole 'alien child' thing too seriously. He thinks he has to protect me from the nasty human world."

"I know. I understand how he feels. I think Butcher feels the same, which is why I got his permission, too. None of us are willing to give you up, but I love you more than they do."

I laughed a little at that. "Is that what you were whispering to Butcher?" He nodded, and I felt even warmer inside over the way he included my boy. "Well, I wouldn't tell Harm you love me more than him unless you're trying to get him to fight you. Besides, you don't have to fight for me. I have more than enough love for all of you."

"Mmm, I don't know. I'm pretty needy." He devoured my collarbone. "We're not married yet, and I'm not trying to rush you into it, but I just want to say it a few times. I love you, Evie Vaughn." I smiled wide at the sound of his voice saying that name. His expression was something like a little boy who'd just gotten a toy he'd always wanted only magnified about a thousand times. "You're mine, my love, my fiancé, my wife. Mine forever."

"I wouldn't want to be anybody else's." Just as the electricity built up in our kiss, the alarm on my cell phone beeped at us. "Damn it." I wanted to smash the thing.

He ran his hand down the length of my body. "The next time I make love to you, I'm not letting you go."

"I like the sound of that." I pulled his lips to mine briefly before he stood up and forced me to my feet.

I picked up his shirt and inhaled deeply.

He laughed at me. "What are you doing?"

I wasn't the least bit embarrassed, but I didn't know how to explain it to him. "I just—want to remember how you smell for as long as I can."

He looked at me for a few moments before lifting my arms up and pulling his shirt down over my head.

"I'll trade you mine for yours."

As we finished getting dressed and Dev picked everything up, he looked around the tree house. "Before my parents sell the ranch, would you come back and take some pictures of this place?"

"They're selling the ranch?" I asked in surprise.

"My dad and I haven't been able to talk much with Bracque and Hanson around, but he knows this isn't the place to be when the Infection goes nationwide. Too close to L.A."

"Yeah, I—um
—
sure." My brain was reeling. It was a lot to take in. Infection spreading across the country, selling houses, moving, engaged… it was a little dizzying.

He wrapped me in the safe haven of his arms. "Just take it one day at a time, baby. Think of everything that's happened today. You made it through all of that, right?"

"Yes, but I have you with me today."

He held me closer. "You have me with you every day and every second. All I do is think about you, baby. But I know what you're saying. Everything's better when we're together. And we will be again. We just have to be patient until that can happen. It will happen, Evie. I swear this is just the beginning for us."

I wanted so much to immediately buy into what he was saying, but my life seemed to be about losing one person after another. I was worried it was a curse I couldn't avoid. I looked around the tree house as Dev finished shoving things in the saddlebags. I was sad to leave it. "The word 'special' doesn't seem to be strong enough for this place."

He held out his hand to me, and I placed mine in his. He brought my hand to his lips and pulled me out on the deck. The smell of fresh rain and a gentle breeze didn't seem fair in comparison to the fiery pit of hell in my stomach. My time with Dev was almost up, and it felt like the rest of the world should be suffering as much as we were.

As we climbed down the ladder and walked toward Chopper, I stopped. I couldn't get my feet to move. I tried to tell myself I'd see him again, I tried to give myself a speech about being strong, but I couldn't keep moving. He set the bags down and pulled me into his arms.

"It's not enough time, Dev." Tears were streaming down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop them. "It's just not enough time."

"I know, baby." Then he let out a very angry sigh, bent over to grab the bags, and picked me up in his arms. He carried me to Chopper and helped me up on the horse. His arms were so tense. He didn't seem in much of a hurry to get back, never forcing Chopper to run. He wound one arm tightly around my stomach and kept kissing my neck. "I hope Gabriel's not there to greet us. He's likely to go get that shotgun when he sees your neck."

My hand flew to my neck, but aside from a little sore spot, I didn't feel anything wrong.

There was the tiniest bit of arrogance in his voice. "It's a pretty impressive hickey if I do say so myself."

I couldn't comment, though. I just turned in the saddle as much as possible and put my arms around him.

When we got closer, I could see Sonya standing in Gary's arms, waiting for us. I'd managed to stop crying, but the last twenty steps Chopper took toward Gary's house felt like a death march. When Dev climbed down and reached up for me, he held me close and kissed my neck.

He whispered in my ear. "Don’t think about saying goodbye to me. I don't want this to be in our memory. Think about that ring on your finger. It's me, I'm with you always. Think about my face when you agreed to be my wife. Think about the way I kissed you—the way I couldn't stop touching you. Think about making love to me. Remember those things, baby, don't remember this second."

He pulled back and looked deep into my eyes. "I don't want a goodbye kiss. I want the kiss you gave me just before you—" He paused at the sound of Gary and Sonya walking close enough to hear what he was saying. He smirked so arrogantly at me that I smiled a little through the lump in my throat. His voice became velvety and set off a fire inside me. "You know the moment I'm talking about." His lips were only a few inches from mine, and he alternated between staring intently into my eyes and longingly at my lips. "Can you remember that moment?"

I think I managed to nod, but he turned my brain to mush.

"So can I." The touch of his lips to mine made me long to be back in the tree house with him.

After a moment or two, Gary cleared his throat and Dev pulled back from me. He winked and brought his lips to my ear, his warm breath sending tingles down to my toes. "Anyone who saw you kiss me like that wouldn't have any trouble believing I was using you for sex."

I smacked him on the back, and he chuckled as I smiled.

"Perfect!" Sonya announced. "Now face me so I can get a picture." Dev and I were still holding onto one another when she started snapping pictures.

He pulled me in front of him, wrapping his arms around my waist and whispered happily, "I love you, Evie Vaughn." An enormous smile stretched across my face as I reached up and put my palm to his cheek.

"Holy shit!" Gary yelled, forcing Dev's arms to tighten around me. Gary pointed to my left hand and smiled. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dev's low rumbling laughter in my ear made me turn and kiss him again.

"I'm making an honest woman out of her," Dev said, laughing.

"Guess four hours was enough, huh, Evie?" Gary yelped as Sonya smacked him for his comment.

She grabbed my left hand. "You're engaged?" Sonya fairly screamed.

Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed the body in the shadow on the porch.

"Like hell!" Gabriel came charging down the steps.

Dev mumbled something that sounded a lot like a cuss word. "Sir." He moved forward, pushing me behind him protectively. "I realize you're like a father to Evie, and I meant no disrespect, but I already got Harm's permission to ask Evie to marry me." He looked back at me and smiled. "And she said yes."

"Like hell!" Gabriel shouted again. "You are too young. And—and why the hell are you wearing his shirt!"

Evelyn, who must have heard Gabriel's original shout, came running out to us. "Gabe, come on, calm down. She's not a little girl anymore."

"Like hell!" he screamed again.

Even Sonya looked a little frightened. Dev, however, stood his ground. Evelyn grabbed Gabriel's arm and pulled him away from us, speaking too low for us to hear.

My cell phone alarm went off one last time. "I have to go, baby." Dev took my hands in his, his fingers circling the ring. "He can be angry all he wants, you're mine now, and I'm coming back for you. I promise. I love you."

I wrapped my arms around him and whispered in his ear, "I love you too, my husband." He made a short choking sound, and I realized he was trying not to cry. He kissed me hard one last time and hurried onto Chopper's back, riding as quickly away as he could. I watched him as long as my eyes would allow me to, but when he faded into the darkness, Sonya and Gary wrapped their arms around me and let me cry on their shoulders.

The next morning, I wanted to stay under the covers with Butcher, but Sonya and Gary came in and flopped down on the bed around me.

"Okay, sleepyhead, it's almost noon," Sonya informed me. "We're completely bored with talking about you behind your back, so get up. We have plenty to do today."

Butcher groaned loudly as I pulled myself up and rubbed the sand from my eyes. They felt glued together from all the tears I had shed. "We don't have anything to do, why do I need to get up?"

"There's that pre-college information session tonight in Fresno," Gary replied. "My dad said he'd drive us there and take us to eat at this Mexican restaurant near campus. So get up and get dressed."

I groaned and pulled my tired body out of bed. When I stood up though, it all hit me again—the fear and panic over the possibility of not seeing Dev again, the overwhelming need to be in his arms, and the memories of our night together crashed into me. I had to sit down again and take deep breaths.

Sonya patted me on the back. "He'll be okay, Evie. He's tough."

"I know—really, I know."

"Your face says otherwise." Her eyebrows were drawn together and her head was tilted in the same worried expression she wore when I was in the hospital.

I looked to Gary, and he looked just as afraid for me. "No, it's not what you guys think," I argued softly. "I'm okay, it just—it hurts." I clutched at my chest. "God, it aches so awful I can't even describe it. Being with him, you know
being
with him just—it's so much more intense now. It's like I got a glimpse of what we can have together, and it's so much more powerful than I had even imagined. Now that he's away from me, it just—I can't explain it."