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We stand, and Conner locks eyes with his father. “If you’re lying to me, if she’s still in danger, I will—”
“She’s not, Son. I promise, Kennedy is safe. The same goes for Hadley and Remi.”
“And the rest of us?”
“You are my sons. It will always make you somewhat of a target. But I swear to you, everything I’ve done, everything I will continue to do is for the three of you. So that you can have the lives you deserve.”
Conner gives him a sharp nod before pulling me from the room. He doesn’t stop until we’re back in the privacy of his bedroom.
“Fuck,” he breathes, “fuck.”
“Come here.” I pull him into my arms and run my hands up and down his thick biceps. “Are you okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what I am anymore. I’ve been the one championing him, you know? Ace and Cole, they were both so fucking wary when we first got here... but not me. I wanted this life.”
“I don’t think he’s a bad person, Con. Look at what he did. He helped Remi and Hadley, and now me. He’s trying...” Maybe I should feel disappointed to learn I was a pawn in the game between Warren and Mr. Jagger, but he still came. He still got me out of there. I was only there to protect Conner and his family, and I can’t help but think Mr. Jagger is the same. He does whatever is necessary to ensure that.
No matter the consequence.
Conner inhales a shuddering breath. “You could have di—”
“But I didn’t, I didn’t. We get forever, Con. We get our happily ever after.” I let my lips slide against his, trying to distract him. I know he wants answers, part of me does too. But this—us—is more important.
Being here, at the Jaggers house, being safe and loved in Conner’s arms… it’s the best thing that could ever have happened to me.
“Two and a half months,” I whisper against his mouth. “Two and a half months before we can take off and never look back.”
“Yeah?” His voice cracks.
“Yeah.” I rake my hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. “Sometimes you have to go through the storm to find the rainbow.”
The corner of his mouth tips. “Does that make me your rainbow?”
“Hmm, no... it makes you my everything, Conner.”
My every-fucking-thing.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Conner
"Are you finally ready?" Cole asks when Kenny and I join him, Ace, and Hadley in the kitchen after dumping our bags in the hallway.
"Yeah, we're ready. Where's Remi?" I ask, noting that we're not the last ones down.
"Went for a pee, seeing as you were making her wait so long."
"Jesus, didn't you two get laid last night or something?" I ask as Kenny snorts quietly beside me.
"We're just eager to get spring break started, and you two are dragging your heels."
"We're all ready. Remi," I holler. "Pee faster, we're going."
Her light footsteps sound out as we all turn to leave the kitchen. The house is in silence seeing as James and Sarah had a middle of the night flight to some mystery destination he was whisking her off to as a surprise, and Ellen is having a much needed holiday from the lot of us, so we've been left to lock up on our way out.
"Here, this came for you," Remi says, handing over an envelope.
"What is this?" I ask, my brows pulling together when I see a college stamp on the front.
