Page 62 of Holden’s Resurrection

“Make it go away,” I demanded and he flinched. “You know, Holden.”

“Baby, that money is Faith’s. He wanted his daughter to have it.”

The tremble in his voice told me that one sentence cost him huge.

Paul was dead, he didn’t get a say. As shitty as it was for me to think, it was the truth.

“He would want his daughter safe.” My fist clenched and I fought back the urge to scream.

“Charleigh’s right,” Jameson joined the conversation. “And, Holden, don’t pretend like you hadn’t already thought about her handing that money over to Patty and Bea to buy them off. I know you did. Putting aside all of our personal feelings, the best thing for Faith is if that money is gone.”

Thank God for Jameson.

“They’re facing jail time,” Jonny rejoined.

“You don’t know these people, Jonny. They’re leeches. They’ll be right back at her as soon as they’re out. I know Paul was trying to take care of Faith but for the life of me, I don’t understand why he’d strap Charleigh with the burden. He knew what his mom and sister would do. Donate the money and be done with them. They didn’t want a relationship with Paul when he was alive—they used him as a bank—and they don’t want Faith. It’s all about the money.”

“I’ll make the arrangements,” Nix told me.

“Thank you.”

I glanced at Holden hoping I’d find him more relaxed. After all, he’d come to me and told me to get rid of the money. It had been his idea. But he didn’t look calm, he looked angry.

“Holden?”

“This is one of those times when reality smacked me in the face. I need a minute, Leigh-Leigh, and I’m asking you to give it to me.” My shock must’ve registered on my face because he leaned forward, dropped his forehead to mine, and whispered, “I need you to trust me to sort myself out.”

“Okay.”

As soon as the word was out of my mouth, Holden sagged against me.

“Thank you, baby.”

The shock I felt had nothing to do with him telling me what he needed and everything to do with him admitting it in front of his friends. He wasn’t hiding how he felt.

He wasn’t hiding us.

Holden was fighting.

22

Holden glanced at the door as Micky walked into the conference room.

“Sorry I’m late. Holly wouldn’t go down,” the tired-looking woman explained.

“Is she all right?”

The concern in Nixon’s voice made Holden’s lips twitch. He’d never doubted Nix would be an excellent dad, but he’d hadn’t thought his friend and former team leader would turn into a puddle of goo over a tiny baby. But he had. Holly Swagger had her daddy wrapped around her chubby little baby finger.

“Yeah, Charleigh rocked her until she fell asleep.”

Holden wasn’t sure if he wanted to rush upstairs to Micky and Nixon’s office to witness what he was positive was a beautiful sight, or run from the vision of Charleigh holding little Holly. This was another one of those times when life crashed around him. He’d seen Charleigh with Faith a few times when she was an infant. He’d seen Charleigh in the final stages of her pregnancy. Sights that had gutted him and made him feel worthless.

“Good. Before we start, I called Sam Thrift at the foundation. Apparently, with a donation that large, there have to be some provisions made. He’s working on it.”

“What donation?” Micky asked and Nix looked at his wife.

Christ. The hits kept coming, and if Holden didn’t roll with them as they came they’d start stacking up until they piled high and crushed him.