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I sniffled to address the burn at the tip of my nose and looked up at them. “Gonna untie me now?”
With horrible looks on their faces, they made for the back door.
“Sure,” Cade said.
“Let us just go get some scissors,” Cole added.
They left me there in the kitchen to think about what had happened and what I was about to do. Relief that they knew the truth swept over me like a tidal wave. I wondered how different things could have been if I’d told them when Dad died and I found out the state of things. I wondered how much easier it would have been not to shoulder it all alone. But I’d held on so stubbornly, they’d had to tie me to a chair to get it out of me.
Thank God for those assholes.
I laughed, the sound tight and painful, choking me before I could get it all out.
But that wasn’t all I’d gain.
Somewhere, Daisy was out in the world loving me, living the pain of thinking we were through. But she could have all of me, if she still wanted it. The future I’d lost when Mandy died had reappeared when Daisy did, like a mirage wavering on the horizon. I’d been afraid all this time that she’d disappear. That what we had wasn’t meant to keep. But I loved her, that I knew for sure. And she loved me, an admittance that had felt like a curse when she’d spoken the words.
That knowledge wiped away any illusions, bringing that transparent hope to full focus, whole and real and just a few steps away.
I just had to find her and tell her.
A noise came from the direction of the stairs, and I remembered my niece.
“Hey, Sophie?”
Thump, thump, thump, she ran down the stairs and hung over the banister. “Yeah?”
“Do me a favor and grab some scissors, would you?”
Smiling, she came down the rest of the way and entered the kitchen.
“You heard all that, didn’t you?”
She nodded, digging around the junk drawers until she found my salvation. “I heard, and I think they’re right. Fuck Mayor Mitchell.”
I gave her a look, but she shrugged, holding the scissors up.
“You gonna tell Daddy I said so?”
“You know I won’t.”
“Promise you won’t hit Daddy too hard?”
“Don’t push it.”
She gave me a look.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Fine. I won’t hit him too hard.”
I didn’t promise not to otherwise torture him, but thankfully earned my freedom. I kneeled, scooping her up in a hug and squeezing her tight enough that she grunted in my arms.
“You gonna go find Daisy?”
“Oh, I’m gonna find her. Might even ask her if she wants to be your aunt.”
She snapped away with her face all lit up. “Does that mean I might get cousins?”
“What’d I say about pushing it?” I asked with a wink.
But rather than answer, she flung her arms around my neck, squealing and squeaking and giggling her approval. I held on to her, barely containing my own terrifying joy, hoping Daisy would be the next thing in my arms.
And the only one in my arms forever after.
30
WHITE-KNUCKLE
KEATON
My damp hand squeezed the wheel of my truck until my knuckles strained.
Once my brothers had received corporal punishment, I went upstairs to shower and change, working over what I was about to do. Part of me—a large part—was scared to death to do it. Everything would change, everything would end, and in ways I couldn’t begin to imagine. Our business, the welfare of my family and our employees, it was all up in the air, suspended and waiting for the gravity of the situation to bring it to the ground. On realizing I did have options, thanks to the brotherly love I’d received that afternoon, I began coming up with a solution. Maybe we wouldn’t have to close. Maybe there was a way to scale back. Maybe if I sacrificed the broken equipment, sold it off to pay for repairs, maybe there was a way to keep going. Maybe all wasn’t lost.
And if it was … well, with my brothers behind me, we might be able to start over with something new.
Something new. My stomach lurched with possibility, but not about the business.
Daisy.
I could have Daisy back.
This first. Then you’re gonna find her, and this time, you won’t let go.
With a deep breath, I opened my door and climbed out in front of Mitchell’s house.
My heart hammered as I climbed the steps, the sound of my pulse deafening as I waited for him to open the door.
When he did, he stood surprised on the other side of the threshold.
“Keaton? I’ve been waitin’ to see you,” he said with a pleased smile on his face. “Come on in.”
“I’d rather not, if you don’t mind.”
As it dawned on him, his smile fell.
“Sir, I came to tell you that I won’t be needing your money.”
