Page 213 of At the Edge of Surrender

Stickiness lined my throat, making it nearly impossible to speak. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I promise you, I’m going to be right here with you. Both me and your auntie Em.” I glanced at Emery from over my shoulder, and she inched forward, her words just as haggard as mine. “We’re right here, sweet girl. Both Kane and I are right here, with you.”

“But what if you have to go to heaven, too?”

Thought my heart was going to hemorrhage out.

“I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen,” I rasped. “The only place I want to be is right here, with you. With your auntie.”

Tears poured down her cheeks.

“Come here, precious girl,” I murmured, and Maci climbed over to us. She threw her little arms around my neck and squeezed me tight, and I pulled Emery into us.

The three of us hugged each other like mad.

“I’ll always take care of you.”

“Because you take care of who you love most?” Maci whimpered it through her tears, her question so sweet in the middle of the turmoil.

“That’s right, Angel Face, you take care of who you love most.”

A silent promise poured out inside me.

A promise to give this child everything that she deserved.

To love her the way my mother had loved me, but without the torment and pain that tainted our lives.

Maci would never have to question her safety at night. Would never have to question the safety of Emery or my love for her.

Because I was going to love them both with everything I had. Sacrifice it all if that was what was required.

Because I’d never fail the ones I loved again.

FORTY-SIX

EMERY

Kane tucked a clean,folded T-shirt into the duffel that he had on the end of his bed. There was an aura about him.

A darkness that spun and stirred the air into disorder.

A razor-sharp edge that made it feel dangerous to touch him. The same thing I’d felt when I’d first met him.

“Won’t be gone for more than twenty-four hours.” His words were a rumble of ferocity as he said the same thing he’d repeated at least three times in the last hour.

Like he was trying to convince me of it. Or maybe himself.

Unease churned in my spirit, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was worried that he might not make it back.

That whatever this was could bring him to his end.

Horror coiled in my guts at the thought of it. He’d come to mean so much more than I ever should have let him.

Because I couldn’t bear the thought of him risking himself. Couldn’t stand the thought of losing someone else who meant everything.

I wrung my hands as I stood three feet behind him. “Are you sure you have to go?”

Tension ridged his spine, and he stilled where he was about to shove his toiletry bag into the top.

A sigh rippled out of him, and he turned to face me.

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