Page 118 of At the Edge of Surrender

Decided to level with him the best that I could. “That’s not something you need to worry about, brother.”

A frown creased the edges of his eyes. “You think I don’t care? If you’re in something, you don’t need to hesitate to ask me to go in with you.”

“Know that.”

He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “Then take it to fuckin’ heart, man. We’re in this shit together. We’ve always been. There’s no reason for secrets.”

Emotion clotted in my chest. The shame I’d carried. The mess I’d unwittingly gotten into. The mess I’d tried to stop but had failed.

The rose tattooed on the back of my hand burned.

The same way as it’d done when I’d so clearly heard my mother’s words all those years ago.

“Fight for love and what’s right. I know you will…because it’s who you are. And always, always take care of the ones you love most.”

I’d known I couldn’t go on the way that I had been, and in that moment, the sole purpose of my life had been changed.

One direction.

One reason.

Until now.

Because my head whipped to the side when the front door suddenly clattered open and that adorable little tot came bounding outonto the front porch, hands clapping over her head as she jumped toward the steps.

Wearing a white sundress with strawberries all over it, her blonde hair loose and bouncing around her shoulders.

“My Mr. Kane, my Mr. Kane! Did you get back from work? I been missin’ you as many as the stars.”

My soul clutched. Grabbing on to the type of light I hadn’t known existed.

This love that came pouring out.

I stretched my arms out to the sides as I turned toward her. “Sure am.”

“That’s really good because we gotta be with our very best friends.” She said it as she clambered down the steps and came racing to jump into my arms.

I picked her up and hugged her close as I inhaled her precious scent.

Drawing her goodness in, a thousand brand-new oaths made in a heartbeat as I held her.

It only magnified and lifted when I felt the presence slowly emerge from the house.

Both tentative and eager.

That thing that thrummed between us sparking to life. A vibrating glow in the afternoon light.

“Hey,” I said when Emery came to stand at the top of the porch steps, her stunning face and that tempting body basically obliterating my mind.

Words lacking because there just weren’t enough of them to describe what she did to me.

“Hey,” she whispered back.

“Better get on my way. Have things to catch up on at The Sanctuary.”

With Maci still in my arms, I turned to look back at Theo. “Thank you, brother, for being here.”

Sincerity deepened his expression. “I’m always here, Kane. For whatever you need and whatever that looks like.”

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