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Or maybe it would have helped to see that I could fight my way out. But then again, the reminder that I’d fought would just bring her back to the whole kidnapped thing. No, it was better that they were gone.
“Aria, I can’t lose you,” Mom said brokenly, dropping her hands to her side and hanging her head. “You have no idea how it was, thinking you were lost to us forever. I can’t bear another night like that.”
“Tessie,” my dad said softly, walking toward her and taking her hand. “I know you heard what you were saying.”
Mom shook her head.
“Tessie.” Dad’s voice was full of so much love.
“I don’t care if it’s selfish. She’s my daughter!” Mom yanked her hand back, but Dad just pulled her into his arms.
My sisters and I watched as my mom cried into my dad’s chest. For a moment I hated myself for causing that kind of pain for my mother. But then I remembered the other mothers out there. I could help other moms avoid living through the tragedy my mom had thought she was going to endure. If I could save those families the true heartbreak of losing loved ones, what my family had barely survived when Aurora was murdered, I had to keep doing what I did. Even if it caused my mother pain.
I closed my eyes, wondering how I could manage this. My mom was my favorite person. I couldn’t do this to her, and yet I had to.
I felt my sisters’ gaze as they waited to see what I would do next. I knew each of them felt the same call I did. It was part of why Mom was taking this so hard. A few years from now, it wouldn’t just be me in harm’s way. All of her daughters would be right here, living at the edge of danger. And sometimes crossing that barrier and barely surviving.
Dad whispered something into Mom’s ear and rubbed her back as her shoulders shook with sobs.
Aunt Susie stood a few feet from us, just as worried as we were but trying not to overstep her bounds. As much as she hated putting me in harm’s way, she felt the same way my sisters and I did. This was a sacrifice we had to make.
Mom’s shuddering breaths began to die down and she relaxed into Dad’s arms. He held her up as she allowed herself to be comforted.
Finally she turned away from Dad, facing us girls. Her daughters.
“I’m not sure what you’re still doing here,” she said to me, attempting a smile but failing. “Don’t you have work to do?”
I nodded wordlessly, unsure how to thank my mom for her acceptance. Since I wasn’t a mother myself, I wasn’t sure all she was giving up but I knew it was more than I could imagine. We were her life, her pride and joy.
“But if you get yourself kidnapped again, I am grounding you, Aria Burke,” Mom said sternly.
Our entire family, Aunt Susie included, burst into laughter. The idea was so ridiculous it was all we could do, and the emotional release was just what we needed after that tense situation.
“Got it,” I said. I ran over to my mom and gave her another hug.
“Thank you,” I whispered, just for her ears, before letting her go.
This time her smile was genuine as I jogged off to join my team that was huddled near Shai’s car. I had to get back to work.
EIGHT
ella
We all triedto pretend we hadn’t been eavesdropping on the personal conversation between Aria and her family. It wasn’t like we had wanted to hear it. Okay, we did want to hear, but that was only because Aria’s decision affected us all. She was a part of our team. Without her . . . it was hard to imagine how our team had been before Aria had joined us, even though we’d been together such a short time.
“The cops already found the tunnels you escaped,” Shai informed her.
Aria grimaced, knowing that her conversation with her family had cost us valuable time. If she’d been able to get away immediately, we might have gotten to the tunnels first.
“That was nice of Officer Jordan to allow me time with my family instead of demanding I lead them to the tunnels,” Aria said.
It had been. Colt’s soft spot for Shai worked in our favor quite a bit.
“I think he knew you were too out of it to be of much help,” Shai teased.
Aria slugged her in the arm and it felt like we were back to normal. Oh, thank heavens.
“I doubt that Officer Jordan’s kindness will extend to allowing us in the tunnels with them, so we’ll have to get in there after the cops are done,” Shai said as we tried to map out a plan.
