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Emotion crawls up my throat until I struggle to suck in a breath.
Alana has never said much about the fact she can’t have kids. She’s always been very matter of fact about it.
But seeing her now, seeing a natural, maternal side emerge from somewhere within her, I realize just how much has been ripped away from her.
I saw it when she was with Kristie all those years ago, and even in the past few days, but it’s never hit me like it does right now.
It’s like a bat to the fucking chest.
A hand clamps down on my shoulder, and when I look over, I find JD. Although he’s supporting me, he’s watching her.
The air around us turns thick, the importance of the moment among us all impossible to ignore.
“No one is going to hurt you again, sweetheart,” Alana promises quietly.
No one speaks for the longest time after that. I’m not sure about the others, but with the lump clogging my throat, I physically can’t.
“Listen,” I finally force out. “I appreciate what you’ve said, what you’ve done, but… you don’t have to take this on. I knew what I was signing up for the day I agreed to do what Ivy wanted, and Alana did too. We knew that one day, Daisy’s care would be our responsibility. But, I… Shit,” I hiss, struggling to find the right words. “I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t expect you to be okay with this or even be on board. I know I kinda dropped it on you and?—”
“Mav,” JD mutters. “Shut the fuck up. We’re here. This… this is happening.”
His words settle something inside me.
“Didn’t you listen to anything we said?” Reid asks.
“Y-yeah, but I… you don’t have to do this. You don’t have any?—”
“We’re a team, right?” JD asks, meeting each of our eyes.
“Yeah,” Alana says softly. “We’re a team.”
“Then that’s all you need to know,” Reid surmises. “Was this expected, or even ideal right now? No. But we’ll figure it out.”
“Together,” JD assures me.
I nod, it’s all I can do.
Reid’s cell buzzes and the second he looks at the screen, a deep frown forms between his brows.
“We’re gonna leave you to it,” JD says, stalking toward the door.
“If you need us, we’ll be downstairs,” Reid adds, although his attention never leaves his cell.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, sensing that something big is happening.
“Planning our final move,” Reid states before looking up, his cold, hard eyes meeting mine.
Alana gasps.
“You know where he is?” she whispers.
“Not yet. But I will soon.”
“But… how?” I ask naïvely.
It’s been more than obvious that Reid has been working away in the background, putting things in place and getting ready to go up against Victor.
He’s kept his cards close to his chest, which is a relief as much as it is frustrating. But I’m learning that it’s not because he doesn’t trust us, it’s just a part of his process. Moving in the shadows.
