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“Just say it!”
“Your mum didn’t just want to hurt you. She made it clear that if Rodriguez—the man who came after me—wanted to kill you, she wouldn’t have stood in his way.”
“W—what?” he stutters.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, not wanting to repeat it again. Once was hard enough.
“She wanted me dead?” he whispers, and that truth, that painful, hurtful truth forces his shoulders to drop and more tears to fall.
He sobs quietly, wrapping his arms around himself as he slides down the kitchen cabinet and rests his forehead against his knees, and this time I don’t hesitate. This time I slide down onto the floor beside him and wrap my arm around his shoulders, pulling him into my side. He doesn’t flinch away, instead he leans into my side and lets me hold him.
“You’re not to blame. Not for her actions. Not for her terrible thoughts. Not for her hatred or evil heart. You’re not to blame for her death or her decisions in life, Ford. You were a child who needed a mother to love him. She couldn’t give that to you and I’m so, so sorry you had to endure what you have. I’m sorry I didn’t know about you. I’m sorry that I didn’t step in earlier,” I say, forcing the words out through the tightness in my voice. “I want to give you a family, Ford. I truly don’t want you to go to another fight club. I want you to train with us. I want you to get stronger. I want you to be in our lives, but I’ll also understand if you choose to walk away. You never have to fear me or Beast… we will protect you. Always.”
My voice trails off as I meet Beast’s gaze, and then we wait. I’m not sure how long Ford remains crying silently in my arms, but by the time his sobs have quietened, his body is limp from fatigue and he snores quietly.
“Should I wake him up?” Beast asks. “I could drive him back home.”
“No. I don’t want him alone right now. Will you take him up to the spare room? Let him sleep for a bit. It’s early anyway. In the meantime I’ll call Hudson. I’m going to tell him that I don’t want Ford training anywhere else but my club.”
“You reckon Hudson is gonna be cool with that given the lecture he gave us both?” Beast asks.
“I love and respect Hudson, but this is non-negotiable. Ford ismybrother. We’ll bring him into the fold at Tales and keep training him. I can keep a better eye on him there anyway.”
“Aren’t you worried someone might target him?”
“Who, aside from the King?” I ask.
“Stupid question,” he admits.
“Look, of course I am, but it’s too late now. Even if the King kept that important piece of information of Ford being my half-brother to himself, he’s already connected to us, tome. I won’t announce to the world our relationship but I won’t leave him for the sharks either. I’ll make sure he’s taken care of—”
“We’llmake sure he’s taken care of,” Beast cuts in. “Your family is my family, Kate.”
“Yes,” I nod, agreeing with him, loving him even more for it. “We won’t abandon him. The doors of our club will always be open to him, and he will have our protection from this moment on.”
“And the King?”
“Better be afraid, because I’m coming for him.”
