Page 164 of Give Me Redemption

“Hey, kiddo,” Dad says after Mom lets me go. She walks over and grabs Chloe, who pulls away a little. She doesn’t like to be touched. It’s understandable.

“Sorry,” Mom says.

“It’s fine,” Chloe replies. “You guys have to stop treating me like I’m glass. The worst has already happened to me. I’m stronger than I look, and it’s been six months.”

“I know that,” I say to her. Because I know my sister. I may seem tough as nails, but this girl is the toughest.

“Good,” she says. “Now, let’s go eat.” She smiles and walks up to me, draping her arm around my neck. It shocks me.

“Love you,” she says.

“Love you more.”

Maybe she is going to be okay. Maybe we all will.

We head to the restaurant, making small talk. I see Jace’s truck parked on the side of the street. He’s standing outside of it with a smoke between his lips, looking down at his phone. His snapback hat is turned around backwards, and he wears jeans and a button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

I smile because I can’t help it. Mom and Dad are a car behind us. “I’m sorry that you stopped living because of me,” Chloe says.

I turn and look at her after I park. “Don’t ever apologize for what that man did. I would never have stopped looking for you.”

“But you put off everything. I’m glad you found Jace.”

I laugh. “Jace found me.”

She smiles, her all-white teeth shining. She had surgery to remove all her old ones. She’s gained weight, and her glow has returned. She’s beautiful.

“Well, I’m glad he found you then. I can’t imagine how much of a hermit you’ve been. You were one before I was taken.”

It still stings when we talk about her being kidnapped, but it’s getting easier. It happened. It’s over. That motherfucker is dead.

And I’m the one who pulled the trigger. I got so much self-satisfaction from that. And every time I think about it, I smile. Call me crazy if you want. I don’t give a shit.

We step out of the car and Jace sees us.

“’Bout time,” he says, tossing his smoke. “I’m starving.”

“When are you not starving?” Chloe asks.

And it makes my heart stop. The love of my life and my sister playing around. So many times, I thought I’d never see her again.

She’s so strong. She’s kicked therapy’s ass.

Jace grins at her. “You’re right.”

He puts his arm around me and quick-kisses my lips as my parents walk up. Jace says hey to them with his Jace smile, and we head into the restaurant.

And finally, I feel like my life is complete. I’ve got Jace. I’ve got my sister.

I can breathe.

Epilogue

Jace

(A year and a half later)

Burnt orange leaves trickle down from the trees surrounding us. The air is crisp, the sky a soft gray. Rylee runs up to me, holding on to a pumpkin she just finished painting.

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