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A large hand touched the side of my face to stop me from staring at the father I had broken. “Lynx.”
Fighting bubbling emotions that were making it hard to breathe, I peered up at Liam.
One of his arms kept a hold of my sister as his free hand held my face. “I’m going to get you through this.”
Due to his eye patch, I stared at his one blue eye, as mine started swimming in tears I refused to shed. “I let my mom…” I whispered the last word, “die.”
As if my words were too much to hear, Dad’s VP stood and told Liam, “I, uh—” He coughed, “I’m going to help with Prez.”
Not taking his eye off me, Liam nodded and replied, “I got them both covered.”
With that, Lu jogged across the yard.
Liam may not have been wearing a cut, but he was trusted as if he did. The leather he wore was a gun holster, a knife pouch, and the biker boots on his feet.
The hand holding my face shook my head in a tender manner. “Tonight, what did your mama tell you to do?”
My jaw locked. “To protect my sister.”
He gestured his chin to Everleigh in his embrace. “Didn’t you succeed? Is she not safe and alive?”
I growled, “But Mom—”
“Is smiling down at you,” he insisted, “proud as fuck you saved her baby girl.”
“Uncle Liam—” I groaned in anguish, “She’s dead.”
Blowing out air, his lips started to tremble as he nodded. “She is, but…” his voice cracked, “by the looks of it inside, she went down putting up a hell of a fight.”
My mind replayed all the sounds of her struggle, against two men—
“Am I right?” His voice cut my thoughts short, as if he sensed where my mind had gone.
I wiped under my leaking nose. “Yes, sir.”
Clearing his throat as if his heart was lodged there, Uncle Liam told me, “I’ve known that woman for many years, kid. I swear to you, out of all the outcomes that could’ve hurt this family, this is the one she would have wanted.” He coughed again. “Her body may be without life, but her spirit is soaring, kid. Her babies are safe.”
It felt like my chest was trying to crack wide open, but without delay, I forced sadness back down where it belonged. There was no time for me to grieve. I needed to help these men find who did this to Mom.
I stared into Liam’s one eye and made a promise. “I’ll never smile again.”
As if searching for the right answer, he swallowed. Then, quietly, he said, “I hope you’re wrong, Lynx.”
As my throat threatened to strangle me, I set my shoulders back, because that name reminded me of Mom.
He kindly added, “I hope someday you find something to make you smile again, and I hope I’m there to see it.”
Uncle Liam didn’t live in Texas, but visited often, making our lives feel warmer when he did. Dad was always a little sad for a couple days after he’d leave. Now the thought of Uncle Liam leaving after all that had happened put a pit in my stomach. “You’d have to stay to see it.”
His mouth parted as he sucked in air, but he didn’t refuse me.
A glimpse of hope ignited, and I asked, “Does that mean you’ll stay? Really stay?”
His eye raced to Dad, still on the ground, moaning, totally destroyed. Liam looked away, wincing. He stared into the woods, his mind clearly in high gear.
I watched him, desperate to hear the answer I needed.
Then I witnessed his resolve.
