Page 228 of Hold Me Until Morning

Grief.

In the middle of it was hope and relief, and even as hard as it was going to be, I knew we were going to be okay.

That this was a new start.

A new beginning as we rebuilt after the devastation.

I wiped a few more of the tears that fell from her face. “Come here, darlin’. I need to feel you next to me.”

She hesitated. “You’re hurt.”

“And you are the only balm I need.”

Hailey wavered for only a second before she carefully crawled up onto the small bed and tucked herself into my arms. My soul was soothed the second she rested her cheek on my chest.

Inhaling, she sank into my hold. For a few moments, we lay there in both pain and content. Our worlds shaken, new wounds that slayed, while I was sure a million others were being healed.

“How is Maddie?” I finally asked, the question low.

“She was scared but uninjured.”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. Around the regret lodged there. The horror of finding that deviant in her room and being unable to stop him. “Where is she?”

I felt Hailey’s smile seep through the hospital gown to my skin.

“Your entire family was here all day. Ryder and Dakota. Ezra and Savannah. Caleb and Paisley. Kayla. Your mother.” Reverence filled the last.

My chest clutched, and Hailey snuggled closer like she felt the weight of my shame. No question, by now, my mother knew what I’d done. The lies I’d told her about where I’d gotten that money.

“Your mom held your hand the entire day while Maddie and I were in the emergency room being observed. She spent the day praising you for being brave. For fighting for us. For fighting for them. She loves you, Cody. And when Maddie was released, she took her home with her to rest so I could stay with you.”

“Only thing I want is to be right for all of you.”

Hailey scratched her nails through my short beard. Tenderly. Soft scrapes of love. “You’re more than right, Cody. You’re everything we needed. Our missing piece.”

“Good to hear, darlin’, because you aren’t getting rid of me.”

A bit of that lightness weaved through the atmosphere, and I could feel those plush lips twitch. “Cocky Cowboy.”

Grinning, I fiddled with a long lock of her hair. “Well, I guess since I’m your cowboy and you’re going to be getting a whole lot of my cock, then it fits.”

Hailey rolled those sweet, beautiful eyes. Eyes that swept and flowed and rippled with crystalline beauty.

My sanctuary.

My home.

Snuggling in deeper, she murmured, “I’m going to hold you to that, you know.”

A rough chuckle skated out. “All too happy to oblige, Shortcake.”

“I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Nah, don’t mind a bit.”

She drifted after that, exhaustion weighing her down, finally free of the shackles that had held her chained. No question, it could fuck a person up when the two men who should have loved and protected her with everything they had instead had kept her prisoner to their wicked games.

But it was over.

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