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“Okay.”
Jesus Christ.
There was no talking to her.
Stubborn woman.
“Skylar Rose, look at me.”
Slowly, she turned to face me, and for the first time since I met the woman, I saw genuine pain in her eyes. Pain that I caused and something inside me rebelled, making me sick to my stomach.
Disgusted with myself, I continued on. “I was wrong to accuse you of those things. You are doing your best and I threw it all in your face. You didn’t ask for any of this and I am deeply sorry for the loss of your parents. They would be proud of how you managed everything so far. While your brother is a...handful, I’m sure it’s not easy corralling him. My brother, King, along with Scribe, are the godfathers of Cameron. We only want to help you and your brother. King believes we can keep you and Cameron safer in Virginia until we take care of this matter with Hiller. It doesn’t have to be permanent. Will you allow myself and my brothers to help you set things, right?”
Finished, I stood there, watching her as she got to her feet.
Wiping her eyes, she walked over to me and before I could stop her, she hugged me.
“Thank you,” I heard her whisper as her arms tightened around me. Unable to move, I stood there as I felt her tender, soft body pressed up against mine. It had been five years since anyone hugged me like this. The last person was my Ellie.
While it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable, it was unnerving and something else I couldn’t describe.
I was about to move away from her when she lifted her head and frowned, scrunching her nose.
“What?” I grumbled.
“Do you smell that?”
“Are you saying I stink?”
“SHIT!” I heard Priest shout from the other room. “Everyone out!”
Not needing to be told twice, I grabbed Skylar’s hand as we both ran from the house towards the vehicle, just as the house exploded. Covering her with my body, I held her close to me as her family home rained down around us in fiery pieces.
“CAMERON!” she screamed, trying to break free from my hold.
“Find the kid!” I yelled, wrapping my arms around her, preventing her from entering the burning home. “Where’s Frank?”
“He took off after the kid. They weren’t inside,” Scribe immediately said, watching the last vestige Skylar had of her parents as it burned hotly, destroying everything she had left.
“What the hell is going on here?” Priest asked.
“I don’t know, but we need to get Skylar Rose and her brother out of here. It’s not safe.”
“Here comes Frank with the kid!” Scribe said, pointing towards the surrounding forest. Upon seeing his sister, Cameron broke free of Frank’s hold and ran to Skylar, who immediately wrapped him in her arms, hugging him tightly.
“Did you hear that big boom, sissy? It shook the mountain!”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Skylar asked, checking her brother over from head to toe.
“It was so cool!” Cameron stood there watching his home burn. “The big guy was chasing me when we heard it. I was winning when we felt the boom. It knocked me on my butt sissy. Then we saw the smoke.”
Sighing, I shook my head as I looked at my brothers. “The kid is okay.”
“Scribe, call King and tell him what happened, then call the fire department. Not that I think they need calling. I’m pretty sure everyone for miles heard the explosion.”
Chapter Seven
Skylar
