Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 130761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 654(@200wpm)___ 523(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 654(@200wpm)___ 523(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
He looked away, but I guided him back to me. “I will be here with you. As will your family.” I pointed out of the window. “Viking, Flame and Asher. And Sapphira too. We will all be here for you.”
He watched me. He watched me for so long that I knew he had become lost to his thoughts. Then he kissed me, gently, reverently, before bringing me to my feet. “I gotta make a call,” he said and walked outside. “Tan?” I heard him say. “I need your help in tracking someone down.”
And I smiled as I sat at the wooden kitchen table and looked about the cabin. I heard the birds singing outside. I heard the sounds of Flame and Viking coming over to talk to their best friend. And I knew this was it. This was the life I never thought I would gain.
AK and Sapphira, forever by my side.
I was home.
Chapter Twenty-Four
AK
Two weeks later . . .
I pulled my bike to a stop at the address Tanner had given me. Fucking Austin. The house had been in Austin.
Right beside me all along.
Phebe’s arms tightened around my waist, and her mouth came to my ear. “Are you okay?” I closed my eyes, and all I could see was Dev and Tina. I saw them only in my head now that the terrors had stopped. Nothing would stop the nightmares, the memories, but things were . . . better.
“Yeah,” I said and knew we both understood I was a fucking liar.
Phebe’s arms came from my waist, and she got off the bike. She stood on the sidewalk, dressed in leather, her long red hair back in a French braid.
Fucking perfection.
She held out her hand. “We are here now, AK. Let us go to the door.”
I got off my bike, fucking clenching my fists as my hands shook. And no matter how many deep breaths I took, I couldn’t calm myself. I knew I wouldn’t be able to. Because I knew how wrong this shit could go. I was under no illusions. I expected to have the door shut in my face and the cops called on my ass. For all I knew, they wanted me for breaking Dev outta the nuthouse all those years ago. No doubt Claire and Tom would have told them my part in it.
I gripped Phebe’s hand as we walked up the path to the massive white-painted house. Part of me relaxed at the sight of such an expensive place. Zane grew up here. He’d had more money than Dev or Tina could ever have given him. Not that money meant shit. But at least he hadn’t been in a shithole.
When we arrived at the door, Phebe leaned into me. I looked at her freckled face, and she smiled in encouragement. “This probably won’t go well,” I said in warning.
“I know,” she replied, then nodded at the door.
I lifted my hand and knocked three times. I stood back, waiting. I looked down at myself and wondered if Claire would even recognize me. I was wearing faded jeans, a black shirt and my cut. My hair was long. The last time she’d seen me it was still short. And fuck knows I’d aged.
The door opened. Phebe’s hand squeezed mine as I slowly looked up into Claire’s older, but familiar, face. It took her a while to see who I was, then I saw her eyes widen.
“Xavier?” she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth. Her eyes tracked over me, studying how I looked.
“Claire.” My fucking voice was raw.
“I don’t believe it.” She shook her head. Her hand dropped from her mouth. I braced myself for her wrath, braced for her to tell me to get the fuck gone. But instead, she sighed. “We’ve been looking for you for a real long time.” I froze. I froze and felt Phebe take in a long inhale. Claire pointed to the table and chairs on her wide front porch. “Let’s sit. Tea?”
I still couldn’t speak, so I was thankful when Phebe smiled and said, “Yes, please. Thank you.”
Claire went back into the house, and we sat down. “This is good,” Phebe said and brought my hand to her lips. She kissed the back of my hand.
“I thought she was gonna slam the door in our face.” I looked across at the picturesque suburban street. “She blamed me, Red. She fucking told me to my face that it was all my fault.”
“It was not,” Phebe said vehemently.
I smiled at her defense of me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever forgive myself for what I did, but I fucking appreciated how she wouldn’t stop trying until I did.
Claire came back outside and placed down the tea. She handed us each a glass and nervously sat in the seat opposite me, running her hands over her floral dress. “Tom was transferred from Plano when Zane was twelve.” I stilled as she mentioned my nephew’s name. “We’d heard you had come to Austin too, and from the minute we arrived—before that, in fact—we’ve been searching for you.”