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I shake my head. “No. This is Daniel’s fault, no-one else’s. Don’t you dare blame yourself for not having the strength to leave back then. He abused you for years, both of you, just in different ways. And it’s not your damn fault.”
Daniel fucking Delaney got off easy today. I held back because I knew how important it was to Holly and Sarah to deal with him themselves. But the bastard’s not off the hook yet. I’m going to destroy him for what he did to the women I love. I don’t know how—yet. But I’ll find a way, if it’s the last damn thing I do.
Gratitude shines in Oriana’s eyes when her mom lets out a watery laugh. “You’ve got a good man there, Oriana.”
Oriana’s smile turns my insides to mush, making me feel all warm and fuzzy. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this way before meeting her. Probably not. But I enjoy it. Love it, even. Like I love her.
“I know, mom,” she says with a quiet joy in her voice. “I know.”
Oriana
“Thank you,” I say as we walk down a gravel path lined with blooming bushes, a soft breeze stirring my hair. Flint’s arm is heavy on my shoulders, making me feel both warm and safe.
“For what?”
“For saving my mom. And for saving me.”
His arm tightens around my shoulders, and he brushes a kiss to the top of my head. “Any time, sweetheart.”
I come to a halt and turn to face him, craning my neck so I can look into his eyes. “And I’m so sorry I ran. I was just so overwhelmed and confused and—”
He puts a finger to my lips. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I knew it’d be a shock to see your mom. I should’ve prepared you for it, should’ve explained what happened instead of springing it on you like that. Sarah and I agreed it’d be best coming from her, but—we were wrong. And I almost lost you.”
His voice cracks on the last word, and my chest tightens. “I wanted to come back, you know. I reached the road, and I waited for you, but then Keith drove by and—”
“Who’s Keith?”
“He was my bodyguard.”
An ugly expression crosses over his face.
“Keith is a good guy,” I say hastily. “I think you’d like him. Growing up, he was my only real friend. The only person other than my mom who cared about me.”
His mouth tightens, and he runs a thumb over my cheekbone. “Then I guess I’ll have to forgive him for taking you from me.”
I lean into his touch. “You should. He thought he was saving me, after all. And I couldn’t tell him what really happened. I couldn’t risk putting you in danger.”
A soft smile softens the powerful lines of his face. “So you were protecting me, huh?”
“Yeah.”
He brushes a kiss to the tip of my nose and slips his hand into mine. “Come.”
“Where are you taking me?”
He looks down at me, his smile making the skin around his eyes crinkle. “Home. I’m taking you home.” His words are laced with tenderness. Home. Joy fills me until I feel like I’m floating, the only thing tethering me Flint’s large hand holding onto mine. I’m going home. With Flint. To the place where we’ll build a life together. A place that’ll be filled with laughter and love.
For the first time in my life, I’m filled with excitement for my future. I press a kiss to his leather-clad shoulder and smile up at him. I’m finally going home.
