Page 118 of Come Back for Me
They share a look, but then Declan nods. “Of course.”
“I’ve never really had a family. I was an only child, and when my parents were killed, I was young and made bad choices—well, mostly bad choices.” I sigh and shoot a small smile to Connor. “I just thought you should know that when I was eighteen, I was stupid. When I was nineteen, I was still stupid. And honestly, until Connor came back here, I was still stupid, only this time I was making stupid choices that affected my daughter as well. My point is, what you all did was wrong, but I don’t have the right to judge you. Your father, from all I’ve heard, was a horrible man, and he took advantage of the love you four share to get himself out of trouble. And he’s doing it even now by forcing you to be in a place that causes you grief, and for that, I’m sorry.”
“Ellie . . .”
I put my hand up to stop Declan. “No, I’m sorry for what you endured. While my adult life has been pretty horrific, my childhood wasn’t. So, I’d like to make a deal.”
Sean leans back in his seat with a smile. “A deal?”
Then I remember what Connor told me about their word to each other. “No, I take that back, I want to make a vow.”
Declan’s eyes shoot to Connors, and he grins. “You know an Arrowood vow is unbreakable.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Well,” Jacob interrupts, “it is for some of us.”
“I hope you’ll forgive him for breaking the one about love and kids. I’m really okay with that one going to the shitter.”
They all chuckle. Connor takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing the back of my knuckles. “I am too.”
God, I love this man. I look into his eyes, and I get lost. He loves me so deeply that it hurts to imagine what life would have been like had he stuck to that vow. I wouldn’t have him, and that would be a tragic thing.
Someone clears their throat. “The vow?”
Crap. “Yes. The vow. I’d like for you all to give me your word that you will forgive me for all that I’ve done in the last eight years, and in turn, you’ll get mine that I will forgive you for all that happened eight years ago.”
Declan clasps his hands in front of him. “While I appreciate that, I think our debt is a little greater.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you lost parents who were good people. You’ve made the choices you probably wouldn’t have made because of that night.”
“And so have you. All of you. This is my only request. I’d like the five of us to be a family. I want Hadley to know her uncles and . . . I hope you’ll love her.”
Sean smiles, sits forward, and puts his hand on my and Connor’s hands. “I vow to forgive.”
Jacob follows, his hand covering his brother’s. “I vow to protect this family, as insane as it is.”
Connor’s other hand goes to the top. “I vow to love you.”
Sean makes a choking noise.
Declan is the only one who still sits back. He watches Connor, and the two of them seem to speak without opening their mouths. Finally, Declan leans forward. “I vow to move forward—as a family.”
This moment, this fragment in time, is something I will never forget. Here, holding hands with these men I just met, I feel at home.
They all did what I asked, and I pray that we can all find our way through the next however long with nothing hanging over us.
A tear pricks, not from sadness but from the beauty that this all is.
All four Arrowood brothers turn their gazes to me. “Oh, I’m supposed to vow?” Connor winks at me with a grin. “Okay then. I vow to let go of all the past sins and do everything you already said.”
After a second, they all remove their hands, and then Sean releases a heavy breath. “You know, you better marry that girl, Connor, or I just might.”
My heart accelerates at even the suggestion, so I pretend I didn’t hear it and decide I will get through the trial before I allow myself to even consider it as a possibility.
Connor laughs once and then shrugs. “One day, I’ll break the bow.”
