Defending Morgan (Mountain Mercenaries #3)(53)
“How did this happen?” Morgan asked.
“What?”
“This. Us. Less than a week ago, I was barely living, thinking I was going to die in that damn hovel. But now . . . we’re . . . well, I don’t know what we’re doing.”
“Fate,” Arrow said with conviction. “Things happen in the world that we can’t explain. Kids who are way too young to know how, discover they can play the piano as if they’d been doing it their entire lives. Pets that ran off years ago reappear and are reunited with their families. People who thought they were alone in the world suddenly find out they have a huge family they knew nothing about.”
Morgan looked back at Arrow and saw the serious look on his face. He wasn’t just blowing smoke up her ass. He truly believed what he was saying.
“I know,” he said with a huff of breath. “You think I’m crazy. But I’ve seen enough things in this world that can’t be rationalized with a simple explanation. People who have survived a direct hit on their house with an RPG and walked out without a scratch. Soldiers who should’ve died from their injuries but didn’t. Lovers who were reunited after being apart for fifty years. I don’t question it anymore. And sometimes two people just click. Maybe they knew each other in a past life, and their souls are drawn together in this life. I don’t know, but from the first time I saw you, I knew you’d change my life. How, I’ve yet to figure it out, but I know with everything that’s in me that it’s true.”
Morgan swallowed hard. His words were unexpected. She hadn’t thought much about reincarnation or souls, but what he said resonated with her. “I’d like to believe that . . . but I’m not sure I can.”
“That’s okay,” he told her. “I believe it enough for both of us. All you have to know is that if you need me, I’m here. I admire you, Morgan. And more than that, I believe in you. I don’t know what’s in store for the rest of your life, but if you want me in it, I’m here. Now . . . lie back and close your eyes. Morning will come quickly.”
“I’m nervous about figuring out what I want to do with my life. Do I try to start up my bee business again? Do I look for an apartment? Will people recognize me and want to talk about my ordeal? Everything just seems so up in the air.”
“One day at a time, beautiful,” Arrow said. “I don’t have any answers for you, but when you feel overwhelmed, you call me. Shoot me a text, and I’ll be there for you.”
“Thanks,” she whispered.
She felt Arrow kiss her temple softly. He didn’t pull his lips away from her skin for the longest time.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she heard Arrow whisper, “I’m already counting down the hours until I can see you again, beautiful.”
The next morning, Arrow backed away from Ellie Jernigan’s Subaru Forester and kept his eyes on Morgan’s. He’d woken up on his couch with her still in his arms. He was stiff from the awkward sleeping position, but he wouldn’t have changed it for anything in the world. Morgan had woken up not too much later and had been surprised that she’d slept through the night without having any nightmares.
He hated that she was having them, but wasn’t surprised. She’d been to hell and back, and it would take a while for her to recover. He’d texted Rex while she was showering and asked for some recommendations of people Morgan could talk to in Albuquerque. The faster she began talking about her experience, the faster she’d be able to deal with it and recover.
Ro had showed up an hour ago and dropped off a new phone for Morgan as well. He hadn’t stayed long, just enough to say hello and goodbye to her before heading out again. She’d tried to refuse the phone, but Ro had finally said, “It’s yours. Deal with it,” before heading back to his car and leaving her no choice but to accept it.
She had rolled her eyes but kept the top-of-the-line phone. Arrow had put in his own number, as well as Rex’s and those of the other guys on the team. Allye’s and Chloe’s were added as well.
She didn’t have a lot to pack up, as she hadn’t gotten around to buying many clothes yet . . . and then it was time for her to go. Her mom called Arrow—he’d contacted her to tell her where he lived and what time Morgan would be ready—and now she was leaving.
Arrow kept his eyes on Morgan’s face for as long as possible, before the SUV backed out of the parking space and was gone.
How long he stood there watching as the car disappeared, Arrow didn’t know, but eventually he pulled out his phone and typed a quick text.
Arrow: You haven’t even been gone five minutes, and it feels like forever.
Her response was immediate.
Morgan: I feel the same way. Tell me again why I’m leaving?
Arrow tapped away on the keys as he walked back into his apartment building. He gave Robert, the doorman, a chin lift and continued toward the elevators to take him back up to the third floor. He usually took the stairs, but he wanted to concentrate on what he was typing.
Arrow: Because you’re strong. Because your mom needs some time with you to understand that you’re truly home and safe. Because you’re a good daughter. Because you need to know that you can stand on your own two feet without me hovering next to you. Because you know that if things don’t work out, you’ll always have a place to go: back here to me.