“No. Just stop. Let’s just stop this.”
“You think I blame you?”
“Of course you do. You should.”
“I’ve never fucking blamed you,” he said, taking a cautious step forward. “Are you fuckin’ kiddin’? I promised that the club would cover you. I’m the one who told you that you and the kids were safe.” He was shaking. “I’m the one who didn’t put the fucking dowel in the slider.”
“What?” I breathed.
“I knew that lock was shit,” he hissed. “I kept tellin’ myself that I needed to put a dowel in the track, but then I kept forgettin’ five minutes later, and I never did it. They popped the lock and walked right in.”
“They shouldn’t have even come here. If we weren’t here—”
“I told you that I would keep you safe.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I argued. “If it hadn’t been the slider, they would’ve broken a window or gotten in some other way.”
“You couldn’t have known that they’d hurt our kids,” he countered. “You knew that Granger wanted Finn. He’d given you no indication he’d hurt Jesse or Dylan.”
“We shouldn’t have even been here.”
“Thank fuck you were,” Curtis barked, running both hands through his hair. “Goddamn it.”
I stared at him.
“Do you have any idea how bad it tears me up inside thinkin’ about the alternative? Not bein’ there for those kids on the worst day of their lives? Not bein’ there foryou? Fuck, Teddy.”
“But Dylan—”
“Dylan is gonna be fine.”
“He was hurt—”
“I am fully aware of that shit,” he barked. “But every time you say that, every time you take responsibility for that, you’re minimizin’ what he did. My son was hurt protectin’ someone he loves, and if you’d discussed it with Dylan evenonce, you’d know that he’s proud that he kept Finn safe. He gave hisbaby brothertime to get somewhere safe. It would kill him if he knew how twisted you’ve gotten it in your head. If he knew that you were wishin’ that you’d never come here.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I sputtered.
“Youdidcome here, Teddy. You’re a part of our lives. We love you. We love Jesse and Finn. Whatever comes, woman. You get that? We’re a goddamn family. Figure it the fuck out because you’re not leavin’.”
“You’ve barely touched me,” I said in confusion, looking around the room. “I—it’s been weeks. It’s my fault your son got hurt. I—”
“Theodora,” he replied, frustration making the word sharp. “We haven’t locked the fuckin’ bedroom door since we got home in case the kids needed us.”
Understanding dawned. “Oh.”
“Yeah,oh,” he snapped. He shook his head. “Now, am I comin’ to you or are you comin’ to me?”
I swallowed hard. “I think I should probably come to you.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” he bit out.
Cautiously, I moved toward him. When I was in reach, he jerked me against his chest, wrapping one arm around my back and sliding his other hand into my hair.
“I’ve heard you,” I mumbled. “But I don’t—”
“We’ll find you someone to talk to,” he said, his arm around my back tightening. “Get rid of that guilt that isn’t yours to carry.”
“It isn’t yours either,” I pointed out.
