Page 31 of Manic

The loss of contact leaves me feeling cold. "You're right. You do deserve to know everything. But maybe we should sit down for this?"

Our knees brush, and even that small contact sends sparks through my body.

Fifteen years apart, and she still affects me like no one else ever has.

"Start at the beginning," I say, my voice gentler now. "Why did you do it, Meg? One day everything was fine in Atlanta, and the next...you were pushing me away."

"I know," her voice hollow. "I didn't want to do it, Tor. You have to believe that. But I didn't have a choice."

I frown, not understanding. "What do you mean, you didn't have a choice? Did someone threaten you?"

Meghan nods, her eyes distant as if reliving a painful memory. "My father," she whispers. "He... he found me."

The pieces start to fall into place, and I feel a cold fury building inside me.

I remember the few times Meghan had mentioned her father, always with fear in her eyes.

I had assumed he was just a shitty parent, maybe an alcoholic or abusive.

But now, seeing the raw terror on Meghan's face, I realize it was so much worse than that.

Fury takes over me. "What did he do?"

If that bastard hurt her...

Meghan shakes her head, tears falling freely now. "He’s the one who hurt me when I was here, that’s why I wanted to go to Atlanta. But he found me there too.”

I clench my fists, anger coursing through my veins. "We could have protected you, Meg. The club, we're family. We look out for our own."

She gives me a sad smile. "I know that now. But back then, I was young and scared. I thought I was protecting you by leaving."

I reach out, cupping her face in my hands. "You should have told me, Meg. We could have faced it together."

She leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. "I know. I'm sorry, Tor. I've regretted that decision every day for the past fifteen years."

I stroke her cheek with my thumb, marveling at how soft her skin still is. "So why now? Why come back after all this time?"

Meghan opens her eyes, meeting my gaze. "Because he found me in Atlanta. Beat the shit out of me. I realized I made a mistake, that he’d find me no matter where I was… and now I have a daughter. Bringing her home to her father is the safest place she can be. Not only does Tindra deserve to know you... It’s partially because..." she pauses, taking a deep breath. "Because I never stopped loving you, Tor."

Her words hit me like a freight train, stealing the breath from my lungs.

I pull her closer until our foreheads are touching. "I never stopped loving you either, Meg. Not for a single fucking day."

And then I'm kissing her, pouring years of longing and heartache into it.

She responds immediately, her hands fisting in my shirt as she presses herself closer.

It's like coming home, like finding a piece of myself I didn't even know was missing.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathing heavily.

I rest my forehead against hers, not willing to let her go just yet. "We've got a lot to figure out," I say softly.

Meghan nods, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. "I know. But we'll do it together this time, right?"

I pull back slightly, looking into her eyes. "Together," I promise. "You, me, and our daughter. We're a family now, Meg. And I'm not letting either of you go again."

She smiles a real, genuine smile that lights up her whole face. "I like the sound of that," she whispers.

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