Page 93 of Phoenix


Font Size:  

And looked in on Justin, who thankfully was sleeping peacefully.

Meanwhile, I was a complete wreck, barely able to think straight let alone function. At least I wasn’t alone. Bryce was a godsend, searching the computer in an attempt to find out information that I wouldn’t begin to know where to look.

But I was exhausted, tears forming every few minutes. I knew they were pointless, but I’d never felt so alone or helpless in my life. What I did know without a shadow of a doubt was how much I loved the grouchy man with the arrogant attitude and the need to hunt for danger. He’d carved his way into my heart, and I doubted I would ever be the same.

Now I was standing at the front window, where I’d been several times in my hope of seeing headlights. When I felt a presence, I almost lost it all over again.

“Hey. Why don’t you get some sleep,” Gage suggested.

“I can’t. I have Justin to worry about and the puppy might need to go out at any time and… And if I close my eyes, I’ll see his face.”

He touched my shoulder. “Wren, there’s nothing else you can do, and you need your strength for that little boy in there, especially if…”

I knew why he wasn’t finishing his sentence, but it didn’t matter. The ache and reminder were the same.

Devastating.

“What happens to Justin if we find out that… you know.”

“Do you really want to talk about this?”

I nodded. “I need to know what to do.”

Sighing, he rubbed his jaw before answering. “If there’s no will or papers defining his welfare, then Justin will go to the closest living relative, which could mean his grandparents. I don’t know if Phoenix made any alternate choices if something should happen to him.”

I turned slightly so I could look into his eyes. “Is there a chance an outsider could adopt him?”

His eyes opened wide, a slight smile crossing his face. “There’s always a chance, but I can tell you that most court systems want a child to be with living relatives.”

I nodded, realizing my question was not only out of the blue but also likely sounded ridiculous. “They aren’t good people. I can tell.”

“I’ve made some calls. They’ll need a court order to come and get him and… I might have prevented that from happening immediately. I know a judge or two.” His grin became wider.

My reaction was instant and unlike me. I threw my arms around him. “Thank you for everything.”

“Hey, it’s going to be alright. You might not know Phoenix that well, but he’s tough and a fighter.”

“You’re a good friend,” I said as I eased back, wiping my eyes for the tenth time.

“We’ve been through a lot.”

“He told me, at least a little bit about Sapphire Ridge.”

He was silent for a few seconds then looked away. “He really likes you. He’s never talked with anyone outside of our group about what happened.”

“He’s hurting.”

“We all are. Now, let us take care of Justin or the puppy if need be. Just try and get some rest. Okay?”

After thinking about it, I sighed. “Just for a little while. Call me if you hear anything. Please?”

“Of course I will.”

I glanced at the others, who were busy talking, still so thankful they were here. As I walked toward the bedroom, I glanced into Justin’s room one more time. Chewy lifted his head for a few seconds but was completely comfortable with his new best friend. As I closed the door, I said a silent prayer, which was something I hadn’t done in a long time.

Just walking into the bedroom where we’d made love was another crushing blow. Being in his house was both comforting and just another way of destroying what was left of my heart. Without bothering to take off my clothes, I slipped under the covers, leaving the light on by the bed. Maybe I should put a candle in the window to guide his way back home.

As I closed my eyes, images of Phoenix popped into my mind, especially when I was barely conscious the night he’d found me in the snow. My hero. I nuzzled into the pillow, yanking the covers over my head, doubting there was any way to block out the anguish. At least I could try.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like