Page 60 of You're My Person - For Always

"I don't want to know anymore." She turned and faced him. "Is that bad?"

"Nah." He kissed her forehead. "He owns his crimes. They're not yours. There's no use punishing yourself for something he may have or may not have done."

She lowered her chin to her chest. "I just wish I knew what changed. How did we go from being a family with two parents that loved us to living the most traumatic, secretive life I could ever imagine?"

"Life's hard. People change." He sighed.

She snapped her gaze to him. "Have I been good enough for you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Since the day you introduced yourself to me and promised to make sure I was protected and safe, our relationship hasrevolved around me." She blew out her lips. "I led you across states—"

"Stop."

"I'm serious." She pushed to her feet. "You brought me here, and I've been so set on finding my dad and talking to him that I haven't given you enough attention."

"I don't need attention."

She scoffed. "You found out your mom lives on the other side of the mountain in a cabin and has been there for most of your life—you missed out on having a mom. Tell me how that's different from having a mom die? I should've helped you—"

"There's nothing to help with. It is what it is." He shifted to stand up, and pins and needles stabbed his feet as blood rushed into his legs. "Fucking hell."

"What's wrong?" She kneeled down beside him. "Is it your chest?"

He groaned, trying not to move until he got more feeling back in his feet. "What?"

"Are you having chest pain?" She put her hand on his stomach.

He'd almost laugh if his feet weren't hurting. "I'm not dying."

"You never know." She frowned. "You're old. Older."

"Brat," he muttered.

"Seriously. What's wrong?"

"Sat too long on the ground, my feet are asleep." He got to his knees and pushed up to his full height. "Fuck."

A soft snicker mingled with the crickets. He shot a look at Kenna. She'd covered her mouth to stifle her amusement, but her eyes twinkled in the light coming off the back of the house.

He took a step toward her. Pain prickled his foot. He grabbed his leg, groaning in discomfort. She came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He picked his right foot off the ground. Relief flowed up his leg. Any small movement made hisnerves tingle like a thousand red ants crawling up his ankle to his calf.

He looped his arms over her shoulders, holding her in place. "Stay still."

"Better?" she asked.

"As long as I don't move." He let his head fall back and looked up into the star-speckled sky. "It's been a long day."

"Mm-hm." She pressed against him. "I don't think we thanked you and Zane for taking us to see Dad. We appreciate all you've done for us—before we came here and after. I don't know what I'd do without you in my life."

He didn't want her thanks. If not for his dad, he wouldn't be in the spot of lying to Kenna throughout the years and pretending her father was dead. If it were up to him, he would've told her the truth and let her deal with everything as it came to her instead of unloading the reality of her life onto her all at once.

"Let's go in and go to bed." He limped a dozen steps until the blood returned to his feet. "We need our sleep. You never know what will happen tomorrow in Gem Haven."

She smacked his ass. "Don't say that."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. You'll get used to the excitement around here."

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