Page 168 of Moth to a Flame

“Nice to meet you.” He dips his chin.

Mom is the first to walk over to him. Her white wool sweater is a stark difference from his all-black clothes. Her hands rise to cup his cheeks and he cuts his gaze to mine.

For the first time ever, this man is worried. Maybe because his mom was such a wildcard that he has no idea what to expect. How to deal with a crying woman who touches him so affectionately.

I hope my nod conveys that it’s okay. That Mom’s safe.

She is.

When he returns to look at her, a small smile tugs on his face. “Hello, Mrs. Everglow.”

“Thank you.” She throws her arms around his neck, rising on her tiptoes. “Thank you for saving my daughter. Thank you for finding her before anything—anything—”

He folds her into his arms, patting her back. “I would’ve walked to the ends of the earth for her. Alaska was really nothing.”

At his words, she giggles while still sobbing and takes a step back. “I’m sorry. For jumping you like that. I just couldn’t…”

Dad deposits me with Rosemary and heads over to her side. His arm rounds her shoulders, and she snuggles into him.

Rosemary, Mojo, and I join them. Landon holds his arm out for me, and I hug him back, gripping his long T-shirt. He leans over to kiss the top of my head, and I smile at how his hair tickles my forehead.

“So good to finally meet you.” My dad’s green eyes slide to Landon’s arm around me. He tugs the hem of his too-long gray sweater and offers his hand to Landon. “Again, from all of us, thank you for bringing our Regan back. Both our daughters mean everything to us.”

“Don’t neglect Mojo,” Rosemary chirps, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“How could I ever neglect our only son?” Dad chuckles while Landon takes his hand and shakes it. “Thank you again. Welcome to the family, son.”

Landon gulps. Freezes.

This is huge for him. For me too, but I’m not the surprised one. Before I was kidnapped, I had my concerns. While Landon stole my heart from the start, he was also my eyeballs man.

Now he’s just my man, period. My parents can see that like I knew they would.

Except Landon hasn’t had a father in over fourteen years. Or a family.

He looks overwhelmed at having my parents embracing him into ours. In a good way.

“As I said.” Deep breath, and he finds his voice again. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Regan.” My soul soars with the way he’s looking at me. “Besides, you saved yourself. I didn’t do anything.”

“Please.” I’m blushing so hard it’s embarrassing. “Ididn’t do anything.”

“Well, whatever you two did, it worked.” Dad glances over his shoulder at the mansion. “It’s getting cold out here. And Regan needs the rest. We should head inside, if that’s okay with you?”

He looks at both of us.

“Yes!” I say a little too loudly. Mojo barks at the sound. Everyone furrows their brow at me. “Good idea, I mean. I have to use the bathroom.”

We spread into our cars relatively quickly. Landon closes the door behind me, slides into the driver’s seat, and clicks the button to open the front gates.

“They love you.”

His gaze is probing. Questioning. “They’ve just met me.”

“Yet they do. Want me to tell you why?”

He gestures with his hand for me to go on.

“Because you’re mine.”

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