Safe. The word echoes in my mind. “Milla...I’m sorry,” I say, the words bursting out of me. “I’m sorry I brought you here and failed to protect you.”

She smiles at me, and it makes the clench in my gut a thousand times worse. “I’m here to protect you, remember? Not the other way around.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, well, so can I.”

I wave a hand to indicate the medical equipment surrounding her. “I won’t state the obvious.”

She flips me off, a double-birded salute. “Doesn’t matter. You’re proving my point for me. If I need help occasionally, when I’m a way better fighter, you definitely need help.”

“Well, well, aren’t you a little ray of sunshine,” I say with a wink.

She gapes at me, as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing. “Anyway. I remember hearing my brother’s voice. Is he waiting to see me?”

I don’t know how to soften the truth, so I give it to her point-blank. “He left.” I would have joined him, but I took up the mantle of guard, just in case Tiffany tried to come back to finish what she started.

She withers against the mattress. “Of course he did.”

“It’s not what you—” If she learns River is hunting Tiffany, she’ll try to leave her sickbed before she’s ready and go after him. “He loves you. He’ll be back.”

She gives me a sad smile while stroking her Betrayal tattoo, and damn if it doesn’t break my heart.

I switch gears. “I saw you with Love. You’re pretty good with your fists.”

“No. I’m great,” she says. “I let her get in a few knocks because she had some anger to exorcise, but any other time, I would have laid her flat without taking a single blow.”

“Confident.”

“With reason.”

“Or just plain cocky.”

“Well, why not?” she says. “It’s not bragging if it’s true.”

A point I can’t refute.

“What’s happened while I’ve been out?” she asks. “With zombies, I mean. Any sightings?”

“A patrol went out every night except the past three. We were all too sick to leave the house. No zombie clouds and no zombies.” I reach over before I realize I’ve moved and squeeze her fingers. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Frowning, she stares down at our hands—I love the contrast of my deep tan against her light bronze. “I know why you saved me. Kat. But she’s not the reason you’re here right now, offering me candy and chatting me up like we’re old pals. What’s going on with you, Frosty? You’re being nice, and I’m not sure I like it.”

“Look,” I say and sigh. Why not put it all out there? “You made a mistake in an effort to protect your brother. You’re not a bad person, and you’re trying to make up for the pain you caused us. I respect that. You aren’t my favorite person, but I don’t hate you.”

“Do you...?” She twists the covers, suddenly nervous. “Do you want to be my friend?”

I tilt my head to study her more intensely. “I don’t know.” Is friendship possible for us?

I learned a lot about her while she recovered. She’s strong yet vulnerable. She’s hard as stone yet tenderhearted. She’s supersmart yet blinded by love. She’s whole yet broken.

She’s a walking contradiction—and I’m utterly fascinated with her.

Unlike Kat, she hasn’t yet learned her worth. I haven’t helped with that. None of us have.

Hell, maybe I do want to be her friend. “How about we give it a try, see how it goes?”

“I’d like that,” she says softy. A beat passes in silence as she peers over at me. “And Frosty? Thank you. For everything.”

“You would have done the same for me.” I rub the back of my neck, uncomfortable by the turn of the conversation. “Before I forget, I should warn you. While Ali and Cole have learned to control what abilities they share, I haven’t. I’m sure I passed different things to you—like a spiritual STD. I don’t know what, and I don’t know how or when the abilities will manifest.”

Her jaw drops. “You’re saying I might be able to cast zombies in the air with a bolt of energy? Or cover other people’s memories? Or heal from Z-toxin without the antidote? Seriously?” A grin spreads from ear to ear. “Talk about a silver lining to almost dying.”

Actually, she did die. Her heart stopped, and I broke her sternum while performing CPR. Thankfully, the fire healed that, too. “It’s not exactly a fair trade-off.”

“Agree to disagree. Whatever makes me stronger, faster, better, I’ll go to hell and back to get.”

I can guess why. Helplessness is her kryptonite.

Great. Now I want to hug her. I stand instead. “I’ve bugged you enough. I’ll let you rest.” I stalk to the door, only to pause. “Hey. Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did.”

“Ha. Funny.” I rub the back of my neck, realize I’m doing it and frown. It’s a habit—a tell—I picked up from Cole. Uncomfortable, rub. I don’t face her. I don’t want to watch her expression change. Don’t want to ache anymore. “What happened to your dad?”

Silence.

Then... “Why?” Her voice is heavy with tension.

“River told me he’s dead. I’m curious about the details.”

“River told you... Well. He doesn’t share even those details very often. Or ever. Dad was...he was murdered.”

By who? River? Or maybe Milla herself? Did their abuser finally push them too far? I want to ask, but I’ll be delving into extremely personal territory. Hell, I already have. But the further I go, the more answers I’ll owe her about my own life. I can’t give her what I’ve only ever given Cole and Kat. I just can’t.

“Your weapons are on a tray beside the gurney. There will be a guard I trust outside your door at all times, and I’ll make sure you’re given a phone. Call me if you need anything.”

“You’re leaving the mansion?”

“Yeah. There’s something I have to do.” I place my hand on the knob, but once again I stop. I have another question, and I don’t want to leave until I know the answer. “In your sleep you said a name. Mace.”

She sucks in a breath, hurt she can’t hide suddenly gleaming in her eyes.

“Who is he?”

“The only boyfriend I ever loved,” she says quietly, and something dark curls through me.

“Where is he now?”

“Dead. Like Kat.” She smiles at me, but the expression lacks any kind of humor. “You and I have something in common. We both lost our happily-ever-after.”

I want details. I have to know everything. It’s suddenly a compulsion, an obsession I can’t explain. But when I open my mouth to ask, she whispers, “Just go. Please.”

I’ve stepped on a land mine of bad memories, and she’s done hurting for me. If we were together I could keep pressing; I could carry some of the hurt for her, could help her heal. But we aren’t, and I can’t.

I leave her then, and find Cole waiting in the hall. “Ali wants to talk with you about the vision she had involving Milla.”

“Something change?”

“I’m told you may get hurt even if you’re saved.”

Physical pain? Big deal. “A chat will have to wait. I’m about to arm up and head out.”

“Fair enough. Need anything?”

“Yeah. Do me a solid and station Bronx at Milla’s door. And if you have extra cell phones, give her one and text me the number.”

He grins at me, slowly, slyly. “It’s nice to see you again, my friend. Very nice.”

“What does that mean? You’ve seen me every day for a week.”

“Yeah, but this is the first time I’ve seen you. Also, I approve of your hunt for Tiffany.” Cole knows me well. “I’ve been in contact with River. He’s staked out in front of her house. She hasn’t visited her mom since she escaped, but...”

A dog never strays too far from home.

“We’ll take care of her,” I say, relish in every word.