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Brie tucked Lyle’s photo back into the box. “You can have that picture if you want. I’m sorry you lost him.” She leaned over and pressed her mouth to mine.
“I’ll let you hang on to it for now, if that’s okay. We weren’t allowed many personal belongings, but sometimes, the elders would take pictures and give them to us. My guess is that you grabbed yours and took them the night we ran.”
“I could see myself doing that.” Brie revealed the following image, her mouth rounded in surprise. “Kane?”
My mouth curled up. “At least there’s something good in this box.”
“You looked so different then.” Her attention darted from the image to me, then back to the photo.
“Yeah, my hair is shorter and darker. Plus, I’m not a scrawny little kid anymore. But you’ve changed, too.”
Brie frowned, then studied the girl next to me.
“We couldn’t touch. It’s why we’re standing a foot apart. That’s Donna, Kimberly, and Joe with us.” I pointed to each person as I named them. “It was one of the holidays we celebrated.”
“Christmas?” Brie asked.
“No. We didn’t celebrate like other people do. It was most likely one of the annual rituals, but I don’t recall for sure.”
Brie placed the picture into the box, then turned to me. “Were you ever happy there?”
I massaged the back of my neck, searching for the right words. “Unless your memories return on their own, you’ll never understand how dark and twisted the cult was. What we lived through … we shouldn’t be sane. But we’re strong, and we’ve fought to piece our lives back together.” I took her hand in min. “You and football were the two things that saved me, Brie. Even when I thought you’d left me behind, I thought about you every day.”
Brie focused on her peach comforter. “I want to remember you.” Her voice barely hovered above a whisper.
I placed my fingers beneath her chin and tilted it up. “You don’t need to remember me then, baby. You have me now.”
Brie grabbed my wrist, fighting against the tears building in her eyes. Bringing her mouth to mine, I poured all my feelings into that kiss. Nothing and no one meant more to me than Brie, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t ever let her go again.
I released her. “I should stay focused on the contents of the box, but you’re making it difficult.” I smiled.
“What box?” She giggled and kissed me again. Brie straightened, then revealed the next item.
I stared at it as my stomach twisted in painful knots, and a sharp wave of pain impaled me.
ChapterThirty-Nine
Kane
“Kane? What is it?” Brie’s eyes filled with concern. “Do you know the men in the picture?”
Hatred crawled over my skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake. I thought I’d seen the last of them and told myself they were burning in hell to help myself cope, but here they were.
I cleared my throat, struggling to control the onslaught of dark memories slicing me open again. “Those are the elders,” I finally managed to say.
“Like the leaders, right?”
I nodded, unable to tear my gaze away from the men. I shot to my feet and pressed my forehead and fists against the wall, whispering football plays beneath my breath. As hard as I’d tried to keep my shit together, I lost it in front of Brie. The one thing I promised myself I wouldn’t do. It would only scare her about her past. My job was to protect and help her heal, not rip her apart.
“Kane, I’m going to touch you.”
Brie slipped her arms around my waist and pressed against me, the heat of her body comforting me. We stood in silence, not moving for what felt like an eternity. Finally, I placed my hand on top of hers, then I turned to her.
Cupping her face, I tilted her head and kissed her. All I could feel was the thud of my heart against my ribs as I lost myself in that moment, driving away all the darkness. Brie was the only thing that mattered. Not the past. Not the memories. Just her.
I pressed my forehead against hers.
“We can put the box away.” She hugged me and rested her cheek against my chest.
