Page 117 of The Ranger
Cole sits on the coffee table and leans his forearms on his thighs, looking me in the eye.His smile has vanished, and he looks serious.
“What?”Panic stirs inside me.
“Scar, Chen Lee-Park has been captured.”
Oh.
The relief is instant.That horrible man is no longer a threat to me or Zara.A million tons lift off my shoulders.
“That’s awesome.How did they catch him?”
Cole launches into a summarized story of how they tracked him and eventually caught up with him at LAX.
He doesn’t go into detail, but he touches on Chen having some classified information that could’ve been a national threat.Or worse.
I can’t believe I got caught up in such a serious situation.
While he’s talking, I realize what this means for me and Zara.
We need to go home.
We no longer need to stay with Cole as there is no danger.My eyes dip as I search for any other reason and can’t find one.He’s still talking.
I’m a monster for wishing that horrible man was still on the run, but I do.
Despite our argument last night and how angry I am with him I don’t want to leave.I’m scared, and...I like being here.Sure, his house is a million times nicer than mine, but there’s something that feels right about us all being together.
Of hearing him say,Daddy’s home.
In the way we’ve fumbled together the past few days working out how to be parents.The way he hugged me when I cried, freaking out.The way I rubbed his arm when he got the nappy wrong, telling himit’s okay, you can take it outside and shoot it if you’ll feel better.
I glance around and imagine another woman living here with him, while Zara spends her other week or weekends with her dad.
Tears prickle my eyes.
How I’ll just be a better version of my mom with no career and spend my days working for Cassy, carpooling, making lunches and doing housework.
No offense to moms worldwide, but I had dreams.And I don’t resent Zara; I love her with all my heart.She deserves what I never had.All of me—or at least as much of me as I can spare.
But there won’t be time for me to grow my career.Not for years.Or ever.By then I might give up.
While Cole and his new woman/wife/girlfriend/person-I-hate-already will thrive and support one another—
“Scar.Are you listening?”
“What?”I blink.
Christ, talk about going down a rabbit hole.
“Yeah, that great.Amazing.Far out.Yeah, so um, it’s good they caught him.”
Cole lowers his brows, then straightens, letting out a long sigh.
It’s time to go.
You think I want you to stay so I can have sex on tap and my daughter here full-time?
This is his chance.
