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Then Claire took her place, her rightful one with Kyle. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she held Kyle not carefully at all, but super tight. He didn’t seem to mind. He framed her pretty face, staring at her as if he couldn’t believe his good fortune.
I knew that feeling. It was a novel one, but I was determined for it to last.
Rachel let out a frustrated huff. “Oh my God, just kiss her already.”
So Kyle did. He kissed Claire deep, hard, and long.
Someone cleared their throat.Barry.
He gave me a look. “Tommy and I will take Missy home while you get your crew to their resting place for the evening. Then come home to me, you and yours, got it?”
My eyes shining, I nodded.
• • •
Claire clutched Kyle’s hand as I drove. Rachel was in the passenger seat.
We were silent, but it wasn’t an anxious silence like when we’d gone to retrieve Kyle. Now the silence was heavy with gratitude, and full like our hearts were.
A lot had happened tonight.
I hoped the worst was over with Martin, but he would never change, and I knew he remained obsessed with me. He was Kyle’s uncle, which meant that Ella was Kyle’s cousin. I was glad Kyle had that. Glad she had that too. But it was more likely she didn’t know, given that Martin hadn’t told Kyle he was his uncle.
“Here we are.” I flicked on my blinker, then steered my reliable old Explorer into Footit’s empty lot. Parking beside the entrance, I shut off the engine, letting it rest.
“Thanks for the ride.” Kyle met my gaze in the rearview mirror. “For coming to my rescue. For this.” Lights from the building slicing through the darkness, he gestured. “A job for Bob. A place to live. For everything. I’m incredibly grateful.”
“Bob’s a hard worker,” I said. “A reliable employee. With both of you here at night, I have double the security. Honestly, it’s me who’s grateful to you.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Rachel swiveled around to look at him. Now that she’d seen how Claire and Kyle were together, she seemed totally behind them. “You really should go to a hospital.”
Kyle shook his head. “It’s just a few busted ribs. Cuts and bruises. They’ll heal.”
But would he heal from all the rest? I knew from experience that Martin left behind deeper wounds than only physical. Thinking about Ella, I rubbed my chest.
“Good night, everyone,” Kyle said, but he was gazing at Claire. “Good night, babe.”
He touched his mouth to hers and eased back. Claire laid her hand on his cheek.
His full bottom lip had a cut in it. Both of his eyes were swollen, and his T-shirt was bloody. He looked like a boxer who’d just stepped out of the ring after losing a fight. But he hadn’t lost, and I could tell my niece wanted to be sure he knew that.
“I’m staying with you,” Claire said.
Kyle glanced at Rachel. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I really need to be with you,” Claire said, and her voice caught. “Don’t you understand? I could have lost you tonight.”
“But you didn’t,” Kyle said firmly.
Frowning, Claire explained. “The fear’s still there inside me. I won’t sleep at all if you’re here and I’m there. I need to hold you, and I think you need to hold me too.”
“It’s okay with me if you stay,” Rachel said, her eyes meeting Claire’s in the rearview mirror.
“Fine by me,” I said, chiming in. I imagined they needed to reaffirm their commitment to each other. I certainly wanted to be with Barry so badly, I was nearly trembling with that need.
“Do you think Bob will mind if I stay?” Claire asked Kyle.
“Hell no.” His expression lightened. “But fair warning, he’ll wanna keep you up all night talking about birds.”
