“Listen. You’re part of my crew, my family. We take care of each other.” “I know—” “I’m not gonna let anybody hurt you again.” His voice was raspy and I couldn’t tell if it was from emotion or the fever. His intense eyes held mine. I wanted to tell him to not say shit like that, to not make promises he couldn’t keep, but instead, I just forced a slight smile. “I know. I believe you.”
