Page 47 of Kade

There. The pain swam right there, on the surface. It was too much for her to push down. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried blinking to stop them. She wasn’t fast enough.

“I’m sorry,” I told her.

She blinked again, but more tears appeared. She couldn’t hold them back. “She’s here.” Her voice was rough.

“What?”

“My sister. She’s three hours away, Mase. She’s going to college in Cain. What’s wrong with me? He doesn’t want to know me, fine. Fuck him. But did he have to keep her away too? She’s my half sister. And I have a brother. I don’t even know what he looks like anymore.”

“How’d you know she’s at Cain?”

She hung her head, pressing her forehead to my chest.

“Tell me.” I lifted her chin, tipping her head up. When Garrett took himself out of Sam’s life, Maddy had been young. The reason he gave was a lie, saying it was too hard for him to raise his family. He needed to give all of his attention and love to his new daughter and son; he was being pulled in two separate directions. Sam was an adult. She’d been loved growing up. She was thriving now. He hadn’t had a hand in that, and since he hadn’t, it was easier to step away from her than it was his other two children. Sam never understood his reasoning. I hadn’t either.

If he’d owned up to being a piece-of-shit dad, that’d be different. Sam didn’t need him, not in a literal way. But she’d loved him, and I hated him for turning his back on her. I wanted to destroy him. Sam asked me not to. She pulled me back. But the thought reappeared in my head.

“I think Sharon made him choose,” Sam said.

I could barely handle it. I’d give anything to take away her pain.

She let out a deep breath, both of her hands now fisting my waistband. “I don’t know why. She said she was fine with me, but she could’ve changed her mind. Or she was lying from the start, not really okay with him having a daughter that wasn’t hers. If that’s the case, I…” She tucked her chin down and looked away, so fucking defeated. “I’ve been cyberstalking my sister’s social media. I know I shouldn’t. It’s like I’m torturing myself. I don’t check it all the time, but once a month. I’d do the same for my brother if he had social media. I don’t think he does.” Another tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t even know what he looks like anymore. She doesn’t put up pictures of him. Why is that? That’s weird, right? Or she does, and I can’t see them. Is that a thing?”

“I could have my PI look into him.”

“You have your PI looking into this other thing. She’s probably busy.” She shook her head. “And no. I said no back then. Garrett chose not to be a part of my life, sofuckhim.”

“My PI has a team. She could get one of her colleagues to look into your siblings.”

Sam’s eyes glazed over, the pain completely taking her until she squeezed them shut. She swallowed and shook her head. “No,” she choked out. “No.” She said it again, more clearly. “I’ll wait until they’re adults.”

“Your sister is an adult.”

“I know. I mean after college. Let them finish their schooling and get into their careers. They’ll be more on their own feet. I’ll approach them then. Garrett and Sharon won’t have such a hold over their decisions. I’ll tell them who I am, if they don’t know me, and I’ll ask if they’d like to…I don’t know? Get to know their sister?” Her chin was back to trembling.

I caught her hands in mine, disentangling them from my shirt, and tugged her to me. Making a decision, I removed the ice packs. Realizing my intent, she protested, growing tense. I smoothed a hand down her back, lifting her completely onto me. Her legs. Her feet. Her thighs. I pressed her head to my chest. I wanted all of her weight on me.

“I’m going to say this to you and you’re going to listen,” I said, assertive.

She tensed, but I wouldn’t let her move. Not even an inch.

I gritted my teeth. “Your biological father’s decision is bullshit. He’s the problem, Sam. He is. Whatever the fuck his reason was, it was wrong. You know that. You are not the problem, and normally I’d never even think to say those words to you, but I know there’s a part of you that can’t help but wonder. It’s not you. It’shim. It’shis wife. It’s whoever the fuck else made the decision Garrett would not be in your life. He is goddamn lucky to be sharing genes with you. And it is entirelyhis lossnot to have you in his life. He’s the defect. You are perfect. You came from him, and you came outbetterthan him. Your sister and brother, when you decide to approach them, they’re lucky to be sharing blood with you. This connection gives them an opportunity to know you, and I cannot for the life of me make sense why someone would choose not to know you.” I lifted her head so she could see me and how strongly I felt about this. “Unless they are fucked up. You got that? Your sister might be fucked up too—”

Her lower lip was shaking. “She doesn’t look fucked up. She looks beautiful.”

“Then she will be blessed to get to know her older sister, and she’ll probably be all sorts of pissed off at her mom and dad. That’s their problem. It’s not yours. You have so much love to give, and anyone decent would recognize the gift of having you in their life. That’s all you have to think about. Nothing else. You hear me?”

A few tears slid free until she wiped them away, but I’d gotten through. I could see her strength shining back at me. She was the Samantha I loved and held every chance I got.

She bent forward to graze her lips against mine. “Thank you.”

The kiss started light, but it didn’t stay there. Everything else melted away.

I needed my woman, but more importantly I needed to make her forget.

I rolled on top of her, moving over her, but I just kissed her. I wanted to push out all those thoughts and doubts he’d left in her mind. Garrett didn’t fucking deserve Sam as a daughter. There’d come a day when he’d return. He’d realize his mistake and he’d panic because she would be gone. He wouldn’t be able to get her.

I was going to relish that day because the fucker deserved to be punished every day of his life. Anyone who hurt Sam, who caused her even one sliver of pain did.

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