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“It means you’re going to do the right thing and give the kids up.”
She instantly shakes her head. “No! No, I can’t. They’re mine. They belong with me.”
I see the panic in her unfocused eyes. Even though she doesn’t know how to do it properly, Trish really does love her kids.
Sometimes, though, love isn’t enough. I know that truth all too well.
“Your kids aren’t with you, though,” I counter. “They’re out there. Alone. That’s how Olivia ended up sneaking away. That’s why Grant does yardwork for neighbors to keep the heat on. Because you aren’t there for them.”
“Times are tough right now!” she whines. “They’ll calm down. They’ll go back to normal.”
She tries to pull her hand away, but I squeeze even tighter. “How many times have you made that promise to yourself? How many times have you sworn you’d get out of bed and make breakfast? That you’d be there for them the way you know they deserve?”
Her chin dimples as she tries not to dissolve into tears again. “A lot.”
“I know.” I pat her hand. “And since you can’t keep that promise, you have to do what’s right for them.”
Her eyes widen again. “You’re going to take them?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not going to take them. I won’t have to. You’re going to give them up. Because you know it’s the right thing to do.”
She stares down at the nest of dirty blankets around her. “How…how did things get this bad?”
“Because life is hard. Right now, you need to focus on getting out of this bed and taking care of yourself. Let someone else care for your kids.”
She bites her lip and nods. “Okay.” She nods again. I can see exhaustion moving over her like a shadow. “I love them very much.”
“I know you do.”
“I need to know they’re safe,” she whispers.
“I’ll personally make sure I know where they are and who is taking care of them,” I assure her. “I won’t let anything bad happen to those kids out there. They will be under my protection.”
She looks over at me, a sad smile pulling on her pale lips. “Thank you.”
Then Trish leans back against the headboard and, within a few seconds, falls fast asleep.
Her trust in me leaves a warmth I’ve never felt before. People respect me for what I can do: make money, wage war. I know what it feels like to have people revere me and fear me and throw themselves in awe at my feet.
But this—having a woman be grateful to me for protecting her children—it’s different.
There is absolutely nothing in the world Trish can give me. I don’t gain anything by looking after her children and making sure Grant, Olivia, and Tiana are safe.
Yet, it feels like work worth doing. They feel like people worth protecting.
Fuck if I know what that might mean.
62
PIPER
I’m frozen in the hallway, rooted to the spot by the appearance of a man I don’t recognize.
Outwardly, he has Timofey’s broad shoulders and narrow waist. The amber light of the room shines off the dark black strands of his hair. The same hair I had my fingers buried in only a couple hours ago.
But the words coming out of this man’s mouth are so beyond the kind of behavior I’m used to from Timofey that I can’t make heads or tails of them.
I won’t let anything bad happen to those kids out there. They will be under my protection.
