Page 25 of Serenity

“Dillon.”

“I know,” I sighed. “I sound bitter because I am. I get that I was in an awful placebackthen.”

“And sowerethey.”

“Yeah, and so were they. But it’s been five years, Faith. That’s a long damn time for them to keep a secret like this from me. They should’ve told me before now. And if you hadn’t stumbled across the truth the way you had, I’m not sure they ever would’ve said anything. I might never have known the truth about Declan, and that’s hard as fuck toaccept.”

“Even you have to admit that you weren’t in the best place most of that time,” she reminded me. “You were gambling and getting into fights right up untilwemet.”

“It wasonefight,” I groaned. “And not even really afightfight. More like a couple of punches were thrown. Thatwasit.”

“And where exactly have you been all this time if you only talked to your parents today about whathappened?”

“Gambling and drinking,” Igrumbled.

She stared at me with raised eyebrows. “And your point about being able to handle thetruthis...”

“Yeah, I know. In a way, I understand why they made the decision they did. But it’s going to take a little time to move past this with them because they broke my trust.” It hurt a fucking lot each time I thought about how long they’d liedtome.

“Building trust again seems to be a themetoday.”

“It does.” I bent over and kissed her cheek. “I guess if you can forgive me and give me a chance to earn back your trust, then that’s the least I can doforthem.”

“That makes me happy.” She smiled at me, her eyes gleaming with a soft look. “I love how you and your parents are together, and I’d hate for anything to destroy that. You’re all lucky to have eachother.”

“We’relucky,” I corrected. “You’re mine, which means my family isyours.”

“Iguess.”

She didn’t look like she fully believed what I was saying, but that was okay because I had time to convince her. “I’m going to get you to the place where you know it the same wayIdo.”

“We’ll see,” she laughed. “But I need you to back up a minute. Did you say you were gamblinganddrinking?”

“Yeah, it looks like neither of us did well apart from eachother.”

“Remember that the next time you’re tempted to walk awayfromme.”

“There won’t be a next time.” I knew she’d meant it to sound like a joke, but I heard the underlying thread of fear in her tone. I only had myself to blame for it, and it’d take time for me to prove to her that she had nothing to be anxious about when it came to me. “And no more drinking like that. For either of us. We have kidneys to keephealthy.”

Her lips tilted up at the edges again. “Both ofusdo.”

“Yup, I’ve got to take good care of your backup.” I patted mysides.

She shook her head. “It’s weird, isn’t it? All the coincidences that led up to usmeeting.”

“It sure asshitis.”

But even with as lucky as we’d been with those coincidences, I could do without any moreofthem.

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