Page 55 of Vengeful Lies

While Gabriella rounded the car and helped Essie out of her car seat, he swung his bad leg out and carefully placed his weight on it. The wound wasn't bad enough that he couldn’t use the leg, but it did throb annoyingly. A constant reminder of how close he’d come to losing his life.

Watching Essie skip down the path toward the door, Gabriella rifling through her bag looking for the keys, was so normal that tears actually blurred his vision for a second. These little moments of everyday life had always just slipped by unnoticed. Sometimes it wasn't until you came so close tolosing something that you realized how important those regular moments really were.

Before Gabriella could unlock the door, it opened, and Cooper shot them a grin.

“House is clear, coffee is made, and there might be some donuts on the counter,” Cooper told Essie.

“Donuts!” she squealed, taking off at a run for the kitchen.

“Just one, if you want some ice cream,” Gabriella called, hurrying after her.

“You guys going to be okay? I can hang around if you want,” Cooper offered.

“We’re okay. Appreciate everything you did for me and for them,” he said gruffly, pulling his brother in for a somewhat awkward one-armed hug.

“Course, brother. We’re family. All of us.” Cooper gave him a look that wasn't hard to decipher. He meant that Gabriella was part of them too.

Cade wasn't disagreeing.

This was her family. She’d proven that time and time again, in how deeply she loved Essie, in everything she’d done to protect her.

It was what made what he was going to have to do so hard. It was the equivalent of amputating a part of himself, and there were no guarantees he’d ever heal from the wound.

September 8th

8:08 P.M.

“I didn't think she’d fall asleep so easily,” Gabriella whispered as Cade eased closed the door to Essie’s bedroom. “I guess having her daddy back home helped.”

She knew it was going to help her.

Tonight she might actually be able to sleep for more than a handful of minutes at a time. Cade would be in the house and that meant she’d be safe. No one else could make her feel as safe as he could. Having his brothers watching the house was a bonus, but knowing he was asleep in his room down the hall would allow her to actually relax enough to fall asleep.

As she turned to head down the hall for the stairs, Cade captured her hand.

He’d been doing that a lot since he woke up yesterday afternoon, not that she was complaining. She loved the way his large hand covered hers, his strong fingers twinning with hers, holding just tight enough to make her feel like she was cared about.

Did he care?

In more than a she was Essie’s nanny way?

Or had she allowed herself to get her hopes up these last few days?

There had been no time for them to talk since he was rescued. They hadn't been alone, and his focus had been on Essie, as it absolutely should be. But they were going to need to have a conversation at some point. She had to understand what it meant that he’d been carrying around her old doll and that he’d given her custody of his daughter and possession of his house.

The pad of his thumb brushed across the inside of her wrist making her shiver as she turned to face him. He was so much taller than her own five foot two frame and she had to tilt her head back to look up at him.

There was something indecipherable in his brown eyes, but he gave her a small smile that she could read easily.

Gratefulness.

Her stomach sank a little.

Was that the only reason for the doll and the legal paperwork? Gratefulness because she’d done her job and protected the little girl she loved?

“Thank you,” he whispered. “For everything. I can never repay you.” Leaning down he touched a tender kiss to her forehead.

A kiss that brought tears to her eyes.

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