Page 110 of Surrender

My arms flex around both of their small bodies. “I’m coming wherever you are.”

27

Whitney

The pool of headlights through the front window stops me halfway across the living room. I hop into the biggest pair of boots, belonging to one of the boys judging by the size, and stumble toward Jack’s SUV in the drive.

I bypass the men in the front seat, yank open the back passenger door, and drag Lucy into my arms.

“Baby girl,” I sob, shoving her head against my throat as hot tears spill down my cheeks. “Oh my baby, I’m so sorry.”

Tiny fingers twirl into my hair, tugging until it hurts, and she bursts into tears. “Momma.”

I squeeze my eyes shut as my body bucks. “Is she okay?”

“The medics checked her out on scene, but said it isn’t a bad idea to take her in for a full checkup or to call her regular doctor,” Jack answers.

She crawls into my arms, wrapping her legs around my hips and her arms around my neck. I reach across the back seat, brushing my fingers against the other car seat Jack had bought a couple of weeks ago.

“Can you get him for me? I-I need to hold him.”

Jack’s palms settle on my shoulders, and he twists me out of the door. “Go inside with Corjan. I have Bennett.” He kisses the side of my head. “I’ve got him.”

We’re ushered into another pair of strong arms and led up the stairs back into the brightly lit house where Jack’s entire family waits. Freezing in the doorway, I bury my face in Lucy’s neck.

“Why does she...?” I sniff again. “Why does she smell like smoke?”

Jack steps inside with Bennett against him, closing the door to the cold at our back.

“You should sit down.” Corjan maneuvers me into the nearest recliner. Jack drops to his knees at my side and sets Bennett in the crook of my arm.

“I’m going to start fresh coffee for everyone,” Nancy says.

“I’ll help.” Juniper rushes from the room.

Jack relays the story to me, his hand clenched tight around mine the entire time. In a roughened voice, he tells the room how Devon led them on a chase. How they didn’t know if the kids were in the car for certain, but they didn’t want to take any chances of Devon losing control. He says they used spike strips to deflate the tires, but Devon still wanted to escape and kept spinning his wheels.

As he tells us about the fire, I feel sick to my stomach. My nails create half-moons on the back of his hand as images of my children trapped in a burning car assault me.

“Silas Stone is the one who pulled Bennett out. When he shouted that the car seat was stuck, he thinks Devon released the position of the front seat to create room. They both fell out of the car at the same time,” Jack says.

“I guess we should be thankful he found his conscience just in time,” I say with a sardonic lilt.

“We aren’t thanking that bastard for a damn thing,” Jack snarls.

I turn my watery eyes on his face. My palm settles against his hot cheek. “You got them. You got them back for me.”

He turns his face into my palm and closes his eyes. His nose brushes against my fingers as he kisses my palm.

“I love you,” he murmurs there, lips brushing my skin with every word. “And I love these kids. The last few hours fucking felt like someone ripped my heart straight out of my chest. There’s no more fighting the inevitable, Whitney. I wave my white flag. I surrender to you. You’re mine, and if you want me, I’m all yours.”

“Jack,” my breath hitches. “Of course, I want you. We love you too.”

His stormy eyes meet mine, and his lips part as if he can’t quite believe it.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky. But I promise I’ll do everything in my power to be worthy of the three of you.”

Lucy lifts her head from my chest, finds Jack, and crawls straight into his lap, burrowing against his chest. She tucks her thumb in her mouth, something she hasn’t done since she was a year old.

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