Page 176 of At the Edge of Surrender

“What do you evenfink, my Mr. Kane? I told you my mommy said I was really extra smart. I bet it’s even time for me to learn how to read because I know all the letters.”

She shrugged as she piled her new match onto the stack of the other fifteen she’d already uncovered. Blonde pigtails swishing around her cherub, chubby face.

My heart did somersaults in my chest.

Love hitting me like a sledgehammer all while I felt the secondary blow of her casual words. My child still not understanding the ramifications of her mother’s death.

That she was gone and she was never going to see her again.

Knew I needed to tell her who I was and do it soon. Explain to her that I was the one who was going to be raising her since her mommy didn’t get the honor of doing that anymore.

But how the hell did you force out those types of words? Break her heart all while hoping to mend it a little?

“That’s right. And I know your mommy loves you so much. No matter where she is or where she goes.” I settled on that for then.

“And you and my auntie Em,” Maci rambled, not a question.

“Yeah, Maci. Your auntie Em and I love you so much.”

Her auntie Em who’d been gone for so fucking long I was getting antsy. But I could tell when she’d left that she’d needed a breather. Needed some time to clear her head after what had gone down between us last night.

The smile Maci tipped up at me was earth-shattering.

“Ifinkit’s really good we found your house, Mr. Kane.”

“I think it’s really good, too. Think it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

That smile somehow widened, dimple denting her chin, her button nose scrunched up in the most adorable way.

I was just about to tell her that I wanted her to stay here forever when my cell rang from my pant pocket, interrupting the moment.

I shifted so I could dig it out. I frowned when I saw Charleigh’s name lighting up the screen.

I glanced at the time.

Just after three. She should be in the middle of work right then.

A flash of concern washed through me, but I shoved off the paranoia, accepted the call, and pressed my cell to my ear. “Hey, Charleigh, what’s up?”

“Hi, Kane. Listen, don’t panic. She’s okay?—”

I surged to my feet, the panic she’d just been instructing me not to feel hitting me full force.

“What’s going on?” It gushed out on a low demand.

From the other end of the line, Charleigh inhaled a shaky breath, the words quivering when she released them. “Emery is okay, but she was brought in here to the office.”

“What do you mean, she’s at the office?” Couldn’t stop myself from hissing it.

Charleigh worked at one of the medical offices here in Moonlit Ridge. The same office as Dr. Reynolds, the doctor who was on Sovereign Sanctum’s books. He was one of the few civilians here in Moonlit Ridge who were on the inside of what we did.

We needed someone we could trust to check out and care for the victims we brought here. Someone who was willing to cover our tracks and take cash under the table.

Charleigh was a medical assistant at his clinic and was currently working toward becoming a nurse practitioner so she could one day take his place when he retired.

She wanted to be an active part of Sovereign Sanctum. Stand in a spot where she could make a real difference for the women and children we brought here on the way to their new homes.

It didn’t matter that I trusted both of them with my life. I still felt like I was going to spiral out.

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