Page 75 of Girl Lost
26
WHAT HAD SHE DONE?Sheneeded to get out of there. Out of the stifling office. Away from Corbin. Away from the past mistake thathung heavy between them like the suffocating air that blastedher as the clinic doors slid open.
The Florida sun beat its relentless assault. Heat radiated off the asphalt. She could feel Corbin’s gaze on her back, the weight of his unspoken questions pressing down on her.
How could she explain? How could she tell him that Trinity, the girl they’d been searching for, the girl Stryker risked his life for, might be their daughter? The daughter they’d given up. The daughter she’d spent years trying to find.
Her hand went to her stomach, the familiar ache returning. A physical pain, a constant reminder of the choice she’d made. The choice they’d made. The choice that had shattered her dreams. Her future.
She reached Corbin’s car and yanked the door handle. Her fingers trembled, her hand slick with sweat. She just wanted to go somewhere. Alone.
“Luna, what was that?” He was beside her now. “What was that all about?”
“Does it matter? I didn’t get the file, did I? Now unlock the car. It’s baking out here.”
The click of the remote signaled respite. A place to gather her thoughts. Corbin opened the passenger door for her. She slid into the seat, the leather warm against her skin.
Without a word, he got in, started the engine, and put his forehead on the steering wheel. She could see his hands gripping the leather, knuckles white. The muscles in his jaw bunched. He was holding it together. Barely.
She waited, listening to the grind of his molars as he fought for control. She knew that sound. The desperate struggle to rein in the anger before it exploded. It made sense now. Why he’d tempt himself with the very thing that drove his father into madness. Control the temptation. Control the anger. Experience told her it didn’t work that way.
But this was her fault. She’d pushed him. Pushed them both, revealing the truth about Trinity like that. It had been a reckless move, a desperate attempt to find answers. But now ... now she had to face the consequences.
She wanted to reach out, to touch his arm, to offer comfort, to reassure him. But her hand remained frozen on her lap. She’d let him speak first.
Finally, he lifted his head. Released his grip, his brown eyes shadowed with pain.
“Is it true?” His eyes searched her face. “Is Trinity your—our daughter?”
Her breath caught. How could she answer that? She didn’t know for sure. Not yet.
“Trinity is a lost girl who needs our help. I started to suspect ... well...” She met his gaze. Kept her expression carefully neutral. “The truth is, I just don’t know. Not yet.”
He shook his head, brow pinched. “Luna, why didn’t you tell me?”
She sighed, leaning back against the headrest. “I guess I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“Of being wrong. Of being right. Of ... of stirring up all the pain and regret we buried.” She let her gaze drop to her hands. “It’s not just about me. It’s about you. I didn’t want to put you through that—not when I don’t even have answers yet. I’m sorry, Corbin. I should have told you as soon as I suspected.”
He was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on some point over her shoulder.
When he finally spoke, he said, “I understand. I do. But Luna, we’re partners now. We can’t keep things from each other. Not if we want to solve this case.”
“You’re right.” She nodded, feeling the truth of his words settle in her chest. “No more secrets.”
Corbin’s expression softened, and for a moment, she saw a glimpse of the boy she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. “Okay. So, partners?”
He held out his hand, and Luna took it, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers. “Partners,” she agreed.
As they shook hands, Luna sensed a shift in the air between them. A clearing of old hurts, a tentative step toward ... something. Trust, maybe. Or forgiveness. Whatever it was, she knew it was necessary. For the case, for Stryker, for all the lives hanging in the balance.
He released her hand and brushed her hair from her forehead. Cleared his throat. “So, is Trinity our daughter? Is that why Stryker gave her so many chances?”
If only she knew for certain. Had a DNA test, or at least Stryker to tell her. “According to her intake form, the birth date is a match.”
Corbin’s phone buzzed in the cup holder. He glanced at thescreen, and his eyes closed for a beat before he answered. “Commissioner.”
