Page 136 of At the Edge of Surrender

But all of this?

It was for them.

The innocent.

My head shook. “I’ve already been debriefed. I’m doing this one.”

“Kane, you can’t?—”

“Not up for discussion.” The faces of that family spiraled through my mind, and I was unable to stop the way it interchanged with my mother’s.

The same as how those haunted faces always filled my mind when I stepped out beyond the bounds of Sovereign Sanctum to enact the only justice that I could.

A bridging of my failures.

The promise that I would never let it happen again.

River blew out a sigh, and I knew he was going to say something to try to convince me otherwise, but Maci bounding up the porch steps with Nolan hot on her tail interrupted us.

The little girl came straight for me.

“Mr. Kane, save me!” she shouted.

Her angel face was filled with joy.

No trace of fear.

I swept her into my arms.

That was the way I was going to keep it.

This child safe and secure.

In my arms and without fear.

Without the fear I’d faced as a kid, the way so many of us had.

And I was going to do it surrounded by a shit ton of people who would do absolutely anything for her, the same way as we would do for the little boy who was suddenly attached to me, both his arms and his legs wrapped around my leg.

“You were right, Uncle Kane. Maci is really awesome, and she jumped right into my number one spot, lickity split.”

He tried to snap his fingers while holding on with one arm.

Maci squeezed my neck like mad, her chubby cheek pressed to mine. “I got a whole lotta number ones because I really love my auntie and my mommy and my grammy, and now my Nolan andmyMr. Kane, too.”

That love she was speaking of? It battered me. Full battle blows that railed from every side.

Nolan seemed to agree because he swayed back and forth where he was attached to my leg, grinning wide. “Well, I love you a whole lot, and you gotta stay with us here forever because family is who we love most.”

Maci giggled while my spirit thrashed.

Family.

Never thought I would get to have one.

Not like this.

And my foolish eyes were landing on Emery, drawn in a beat.

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