Page 55 of The Last Promise You Made

I reached down to pick up Addy’s backpack and helped her slide it on. “It’s late, and we were just leaving.”

“No!” Mila cried out just as my mother asked, “What about the kittens?”

“It’s rainy and late. We’ll come back tomorrow to see the kittens.”

“I don’t want to go out in the rain again. I’m going to spend the night,” Mila said, turning her big round eyes on my mother.

“You don’t get to demand it, Bug-a-boo,” McK told her with a chagrinned smile. “You need to ask Nana if you can stay. She might be busy and have plans tomorrow.”

“I don’t,” Mama came back without hesitation. She’d never deny time with her grandbaby. It made me ache all over again because she hadn’t had the chance to have those moments with Addy. My entire family had been denied what was rightfully theirs. I wanted to hate Ravyn for it all over again, but I wondered how my dislike of the mother she’d loved would impact Addy. And what was the point of continuing to hate a dead woman? It couldn’t do anything to her. It would only make Addy and me miserable.

“See!” Mila said, chin jutting out at McK before she turned to Addy. “You should spend the night too. We can build a blanket fort and sleep in it. Chester and Charlotte want to get to know your leopard better.”

“Balam. He is a jaguar.”

The complete sentence took me by surprise. It seemed like she hadn’t uttered a complete one in the entire time she’d been with me.

“That’s a super-cool name. You can stay and tell me all about where you got him, and how long you’ve been friends, and why you’re here with Uncle Ryder and Gia.”

Addy looked at me, but it wasn’t with the pleading eyes that Mila normally gave Maddox when she wanted to stay at my parents’ house. Hers looked scared, as if she was afraid I’d actually leave her there. The tightness in my chest grew until I was sure it was going to swallow me whole.

“Maybe next time, kiddo. Addy has had a long couple of days and needs some rest.”

Mila’s face fell. “Well, if you come to see Nana’s kitties tomorrow, I’ll be here, and we can become friends then.”

Gia thanked my parents once more, Mama hugged me tight, and Dad patted me on my shoulder. Sadie gave me an impish chin nod, head tilting toward Gia, and Mila squeezed my leg before running toward the stairs.

“I’ll walk you out,” Maddox said, stuffing his hat onto his head.

I slammed my hat on in a similar motion and led Gia and Addy out to the Escalade in the rain. While I opened both passenger side doors at the same time, Gia eased around me to slide into the front. I helped Addy up, watched her buckle her seat belt, and then shut the door all while Maddox watched from the rear of the SUV.

I joined him at the back, stuffing my hands into my pockets to ward off the chill and the wet. Our breath left wisps of white visible in the porch light.

“How are you holding up?” he repeated Sadie’s question.

“I’m okay,” I said, which wasn’t exactly a lie. I had moments of being okay.

“Look. I know what Gia said about the DNA test, but before you get yourself completely wrapped up, I think you should take one. I have a guy at the lab who runs tests for our department. He said he’d do an off-the-book test for us. You and her. No one else needs to know.”

That ache in my chest grew. It was already too late. I’d already gotten wrapped up. In a little over twenty-four hours, I’d fallen hard for a quiet little girl who’d experienced trauma at the hands of the same person who’d handed it to me. It didn’t really matter what the DNA test showed, did it? But if it meant I could make sure she was mine and mine for good, then I needed to do it.

I made my way around to the driver’s side and turned to meet my brother’s hooded gaze. “Arrange it. But I’m not sure it makes a difference.”

Chapter Seventeen

Gia

ROLLERCOASTER (FOREVER AND A DAY)

Performed by Brothers Osborne

I’d left the blinds open, watching the thunderstorm as it had breezed through last night, and now the soft sunlight filtered through dripping branches. Mist drifted up from the damp earth, giving the entire scene an otherworldly appearance. It was how I felt. As if being here was an alternate timeline in my life. I had to keep reminding myself to work the case. That I wasn’t here just to make sure Ryder and Addy forged a family from the remnants of the one Ravyn had stolen from them.

Even though her letter had said she’d run away to protect them, I wasn’t sure how Ravyn had done it. She’d left this honey-like sweetness to live on the run, in cheap hotels and out-of-the-way places. Rory’s notion that she was playing Robin Hood, dropping clues for us to follow, only added to the puzzle. Had she been hoping to come back? To return to Ryder and the ranch and the people who’d accepted her with open arms? I didn’t want to feel any empathy for the woman, but I did. It hadn’t been two days, and already I was being lured by the Southern charm and deep roots of the Hatley family.

I couldn’t afford to get too close to this, to feel too many emotions for any of these people. The possessive protectiveness I was already feeling would surely cloud my judgment. And yet, I’d have to be a robot to feel nothing when presented with Addy’s quiet bravery and Ryder’s brooding acceptance. The sweetness with which he dealt with Addy would stir the coldest of souls.

Frustrated with the situation as much as myself, I rose, showered, and dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel I’d picked up the day before. I braided my hair to keep it away from my face and went in search of coffee.

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