Vital Found (The Evelyn Maynard Trilogy, #2)

by Kaydence Snow

I stopped next to him and leaned in. “You are such a cockblocker.”

Slay

“I’m just trying to protect you,” he said softly to my feet. But I was over his attitude. “Are you? Well, that’s hard to believe, because the only person who’s really hurt me since I came to Bradford Hills is you.”

“Well, at least you’re dressed this time,” he grumbled, crossing his arms. “I can’t get Kid to move or speak or anything. He’s starting to freak me out. Fix it, precious.”

“So, how’d the guys do with meeting the ex?” I groaned. “About as well as could be expected.” “Oh, so he’s dead? Then who’s texting you?”

“I keep losing you,” he mumbled into my neck, his voice shaky. “I can’t keep losing you, Evie. It’s killing me.”

Alec sighed. “What is this?” he whispered. “A fucking slumber party?”

“Because the truth is”—he took a deep breath—“I don’t hate you at all, Evelyn. I fucking love you.”

“I’ve loved you since the day you were born and we went to the hospital to meet you and my mom insisted I hold you. I love you with that same protective, nurturing feeling I had toward you when we were kids. I love you in that uniquely fucked-up, impossible-to-describe way that all Variants love their Vitals—because I can’t help that one. I love you for making Ethan feel like he has a family again. I love you for drawing Josh out of his books and making him rejoin the real world. I love you for making Tyler realize he doesn’t have to be the strong one all the time.

“Sweet fucking Christ,” he breathed, running his hand through his hair. “No Christ here,” Josh answered as Ethan rolled over, rubbing his eyes, “but there was plenty of fucking.”