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I've used a lot of words to describe Lisa Manoban since I first met her my first year of high school. A lot were bad. More recently, they were all good. Today, I add brave to them. I've never seen someone so brave in all my life. What she did today was more than I can fathom. She saved me. She doesn't think she did. I could see it clear as day by the way her jaw clenched and her hand balled into a fist. When she heard me tell Jim she saved me, it was clear she thought it wasn't good or fast enough.

I saw the torment on her face when Everett was about to rape me. I saw how scared she was. Afraid her stepfather would do to me what he had done to Lisa for all those years. But she pushed it all aside and saved me. Then she decided to press charges for the years of abuse she endured. Lisa Manoban is the bravest woman I have ever known.

We had ridden down to the police station in the back of Jim's cruiser. When we left the station, Mino was waiting for us. I'm not sure how he knew we were there. Neither of us called him and didn't realize we had no way to get home until we were outside. We climbed into his SUV, thanking him for coming to pick us up. He let us know Jim called him. I tell him both of our cars are at my apartment.

When we arrive, the three of us ascend the stairs to my apartment and find a locksmith already working on replacing the broken deadbolt and doorknob. Two locks Everett broke through. We both turn to Mino in question about how the locksmith got there so fast, but neither of us speaks. Mino shrugs one shoulder. When we were at the police station, he was having someone work on my door.

The locksmith is done in a matter of minutes, then hands me three new keys. Sure, we probably should have waited for someone in the front office to replace the locks, but they can deal with it. Too much shit happened today, and I frankly don't give a fuck what they think. I'll drop off a new key to them in the morning, since they keep master keys to all our locks.

Together, the three of us step inside. There is still blood on the floor from where Everett was lying. Instinctively, I reach up and touch the now bandaged spot on my neck. Jim insisted on calling one of our local nurses in to look at me. The nurse just so happened to be his wife. She cleaned me up and assured me stitches weren't needed. I might have a small scar, however. A reminder of the time I was attacked, and almost raped, by the man who abused the person I love with my whole heart. If it took today's incident to finally put Everett behind bars where he belongs, then so be it. It's a small price to pay.

Mino steps in front of me with my bottle of kitchen cleaner with bleach in it. He sprays the light beige carpet, letting it sit to attempt to bleach the fibers of all color. "I'll replace your carpet," he states.

"You don't have to do that," I quickly reply.

He stands and places the bottle on the counter then wraps his arms around me. He holds out his arm to pull Lisa in as well. "You two are my best friends. I love you like crazy. I wasn't here today when you both needed me. Let me replace the fucking carpet." I smile and Lisa chuckles.

"You got it, man," Lisa says.

"Jennie," Mino addresses me as he pulls back from our group hug. "Pack your shit. You're not living here any longer. I'll have movers come by this week and pack your remaining stuff. Whatever furniture you don't want, we'll donate. But you aren't staying here. You two are welcome to live with me for as long as you want. Fuck, you could be old and grey and I'd still want to have you in my home. There will be a security system installed in the cabin tomorrow. No one fucks with my friends." His gesture floors me. It's very kind of him. In truth, I spend most of my time there anyway. I don't mind moving in with him and Lisa.

Lisa has mentioned we should live together, but I never took her seriously. I guess now's the time to make the leap. By the firm grip she's had on my hand since we rode with Jim to the police station, I doubt she's going to want to release me anytime soon.

I wrap my arms around Mino and hug him tight. "I love you, Mino. Thank you." When I release him, I brush away the tears that have built in my eyes. I look from Mino to Lisa. "I didn't know how much I missed having friends until you both reentered my life more permanently. Like Lisa has said, you're my family and I love you both. Thank you for having my back and always being there. My life really was empty before you two." I realize that in the time I was trying to save Lisa from the hell of a life she was living in, she, in return, saved me from a life without friends or family nearby. She created this safe space for me where I feel included and part of a group. Something I'd not felt in a very long time.

Never having more than one piece of luggage, which is now full of dirty clothes, I throw my clothes to take with me into garbage bags. Lisa steps beside me and starts doing the same. "Are you okay with me living with you and Mino?"

She pauses her hand from pulling more clothes from my dresser and holds my eyes. "I want you with me, now and always. I'm happy Mino suggested it." He did more than suggest, but I stay quiet and absorb the weight of Lisa's gaze. When she starts packing again, I go to the bathroom and grab my toiletries and other essential stuff I'll need.

Even with the new lock and Everett behind bars, I won't feel safe alone again. I might have acted bravely at the end there when Everett was under Lisa, but fuck, my heart was pounding in my chest. I was scared. I've never been close to being raped before. It's something I never want to experience again, nor the knife at my throat. My body is still lit like a live wire from all the adrenaline, which has been coursing through it today. I'm sure I'll eventually crash, but for now, I have the energy of ten people and no way to burn it off.

The three of us load the bed of Lisa's truck with all my stuff and lock the door of my apartment. We each drive our own vehicles to Mino's cabin.

I step out of my car and look up at the cabin before me. Lisa comes to my side and puts her arms around my waist. "Are you okay?" She asks, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm really moving out of my apartment and living here. With you. We went from being girlfriend to now living together."

"If that's not something you want, I can find another place to live. We can each have separate bedrooms until then."

I turn to her and smooth over the lines between her eyebrows with my finger. My broken girl. She thinks I meant I didn't want to be here with her. "I want to live with you. I want to share a bed with you. Every night. I was only saying how things moved quickly, that's all. It's not bad. When it comes to us, we seem to move at the speed of light. We went from barely talking to being together. From nothing more than a look across a room to having sex. It's us and I love us. I love you."

She takes my hand from her face and kisses my palm. "I love you, too. I don't want to be apart from you. Maybe next time you travel with Jisoo, I can go with you."

"I'd love that, although I don't know how much fun you'd have at a book signing." I smile.

"If you're there, there's no place I'd rather be." She leans down and kisses me gently.

Mino comes back outside to grab another bag of my belongings. I wonder how many he's brought inside in the time Lisa and I have been standing here. I glance around Lisa and see the truck is nearly empty. Good Lord, how fast does he move?

"I think Mino likes the idea of me living here."

Lisa looks over her shoulder and notices the near empty bed of her truck. "He's protective over you. You've made quite an impression on him."

"Well, at least I have you both. More than I had a couple of months ago."

"You never have to be alone again."

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I press my cheek to her chest. "Neither do you." She inhales sharply at my words. Lisa has Mino and me. No longer will she have to battle her demons alone. Her nightmares will be met with two friends to help her out of them. Her days will have us both by her side. The upcoming months are going to be hard on her, but we've got her back.

Hand in hand, we go inside. Mino meets us in the hallway. "I've put your belongings in there," he says pointing to the room across from Lisa's. "I didn't know how you'd want to set up everything and there isn't exactly much room in her bedroom, with all of the computers and parts lying around. Plus, this way if you two fight, you have your own bed to go to." He smiles.

Lisa looks down at me. "No fight will keep us apart at night. She will always be in my bed." I can't contain the shiver, which rolls down my spine at the intensity of his words.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to run out for a bit," Mino says. "I'll be back in a couple of hours." He winks before moving past us in the hallway.

Lisa pulls me into her room and shuts the door. Her lips are immediately on mine; her hands find my waist and grip me tightly. My fingers reach the nape of her neck and hold her close, but then she abruptly pulls back.

"Fuck. I'm sorry, Nini. I forgot."

I cock my head to the side. "Forgot what?"

"All the shit that happened today. You were almost...and he had a knife to your...fuck, I shouldn't be touching you right now."

"He didn't do anything more than give me a cut on my neck and scare me. You had stopped him before anything more happened."

She steps away from me and starts to pace the length of the room, while running her hand through her hair. She stops and her eyes find mine, so full of regret. "I should have stopped him before he got as far as he did. He touched you, Nini. His fucking hands were on you. Were on what's mine," she says, "He was too close to you."

I open my mouth to respond, but she takes my hand in hers and pulls me to the bathroom. Once inside, she shuts the door and turns on the shower. Her hands quickly rid me of my clothing, then hers. I don't speak. She's a woman on a mission. It's not until I'm in the shower, with her hands soaping every inch of me, that I realize she's trying to wash Everett off me. Her hands move over my skin with precision. Each touch is with a purpose and not sexual in the least.

I let her continue until I'm washed and rinsed from head to toe; then I still her hands on my stomach. She's kneeling before me, water hitting her head and broad shoulders, cascading down her chest and stomach. "Lisa, stop. I'm clean."

She bows her head, her hair falling forward. I drop down in front of her and lift her chin. Her eyes are red like she's been fighting tears.

"I'm okay."

"I'm sorry, Nini. I'm so fucking sorry. I brought this hell upon you. By being with you, I led Everett right to your door. He was after me, not you. He threatened your life because of me."

I hold her hands in mine and bring them both up to my chest. "He could have done much more than he did, and I'd still want to be here with you. Don't you see how important you are to me? I'd do anything for you."

"He's ruined me. I'm nothing but raw nerves and a shell of an exterior. Any little crack in me and I shatter. He did that to me today. I shattered open when I saw him trying to hurt you. I'm no good, Nini. This right here…" She pulls her hands away and pounds a fist on her chest. "This is all I'll ever be. A fucked-up mess of a person who is triggered by the slightest things. You could do so much better than me."

"I don't want anyone but you. I want all of you. Every broken piece. And I will spend the rest of my days loving you, because you're mine, Lisa Manoban. You are fucking mine, and I love you so much." She drops her head again. She's not hearing me. I grip her hair in my hands and force her head back so she sees me. "Look in my eyes, Lisa. I fucking love you! You matter to me. Now stop trying to push me away. Haven't you learned by now I'm not going anywhere? I'm here for good."

She leans forward and engulfs me in a tight embrace. Our water slicked skin sliding against one another. "It hurts so bad, Nini. All of it. Every memory. I feel like I've been cut open and you've seen every horrible piece. I said things in front of you I've never told another person. You know all of me. You hold my heart in the palm of your hand."

"I would never hurt you, Lisa. Ever. I'm in this with you for as long as you'll have me. I'm here. This is where I belong."

"I love you. I love you." She repeats it over and over again while rocking us gently, as the shower starts to turn from hot to warm and our skin starts to prune. But I don't dare move. No, she needs me and I'll stay on the floor with her until she's ready to stand again.