Emotion pulsed and swam, and I wheezed, “I’m so sorry. I was scared, too.”
She sniffled. “I know. I heard what happened. You were just fighting for your family, the same as Silas was fighting for his. But God, I hated every second that you were away.”
My nod was soggy. “But that’s you now, too. My family. And I never should have left that way. I can never express how devastated I am that I handled this all wrong.”
She dug her fingertips into my back. “It’s okay. We’re all finally going to be okay.”
She pulled away, and when I looked up, I found Meems on the porch with a wiggling Kai in her arms.
My heart tried to spring from its confines.
Joy and the most staggering relief.
“Bwinwey.”
He pointed at me with his chubby little finger, crooking it like he was calling for me.
But he’d been calling to me all along.
I stumbled up the porch steps.
“Bwinwey owie?”Concern filled his precious face when he saw my eye up close.
My head shook as the tears continued to fall nonstop. “No, my sweet boy, I’m okay. I’m okay.”
Elena was right. I finally was.
With trembling hands, I pulled him into my arms.
Hugged him to me so fiercely I couldn’t see.
“My sweet boy.” I peppered kisses all over his forehead and cheeks. “My sweet boy.”
Meems touched my arm.
Tenderly.
Murmured, “Now there’s the good.”
And I felt the swarm of energy gather from behind.
Solid footsteps sending shockwaves along the wooden planks as Silas slowly climbed the steps.
His presence overpowering.
I’d once been terrified to even look at him, afraid of the way he compelled me.
The man too violently beautiful to be real.
But as I turned, I knew he was all those things.
Violent.
Beautiful.
Real.
Mine.
