Page 60 of Her Silver Fox Firefighters
I give her a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you were practically a kid when you met Marcus. Looking back now, it’s no wonder he became your whole world,” she says. “You were rudderless, living on the streets. You had no one looking out for you?—”
“I had you and your folks.”
“Come on, you know what I mean,” Chloe sighs. “Besides, I always thought my parents could have done more about your living situation.”
“You guys were going through a rough patch of your own. I would’ve been an extra mouth to feed, and I couldn’t, for the life of me, impose in such a way on you or your folks.”
“Ah, there it is,” she giggles, “that Fairchild pride.”
“It was my undoing in the end, though, wasn’t it?”
“You loved Marcus. He felt safe. He gave you a home, he helped you find your purpose. Whether he actually felt the same for you, well, that will always be a mystery, I guess. Maybe he had real feelings for you, or maybe it was just some kind of unhealthy attachment. He played his part and hooked you, Olivia. You were too young and inexperienced to see through it.”
She shakes her head slowly. “As was I. I should’ve seen the signs. I was on the outside looking in, watching you pull away from me, from us, one day at a time, until it got to a point where I had to get Marcus’s permission to reach you. That was mind-boggling.”
“Gosh, I didn’t even realize it until it was too late.”
“It’s never too late for true friends,” Chloe reminds me, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “You opened your eyes. You saw what he truly was. You understood and you moved on. Sure, Marcus didn’t like it and he’s still coming after you, obviously, but you broke free. That’s all that matters.”
“I’m just so sorry that I got you and your parents involved,” I reply, tears working their way back to my eyes. I blink most of them back, but a few slip past, rolling down my cheeks.
Chloe reaches out and wipes them away gently with her thumb. “That man is a cancer to all of Devon. My parents were vocal against him. They were literally two of the last people standing between him and complete control over thedistrict. He would’ve found another way to get to them. I think it was just a matter of when, not if.”
“Still—”
“I can’t blame you for any of it. A man like Marcus doesn’t take no for an answer. He’s a controlling monster. His hissy fits get people killed. I’m sorry, too, and Lord knows, I’m going to need some therapy to get over the entire ordeal. But seeing you here now,” she pauses, a smile blooming across her face, “gives me hope, Olivia. Look at you, healing, rebuilding, in love with not one but three amazing guys. You’ve got a baby on the way. There’s a future ahead for you, and I know with unshakeable confidence that your parents would be so proud of you.”
“I’m just glad you survived, Chloe. Not knowing what happened to you has been a constant, quiet torture for me.” I begin to sob and pull her into a tight hug.
“I’m glad, too.”
We sit like that for a while, crying and hugging, until she pulls back and gives me a cool, confident grin.
“What?” I ask.
“You know I’m going to be this baby’s godmother, right?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Ladies, how are we doing?” Carlos asks as he walks back into the living room. “Ready to roll, Chloe?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“You stay safe,” I tell her. “I’ll call you, and I’ll come see you whenever I can, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she replies and gets up, then looks at Carlos with the kind of confidence I’ve always dreamed of having. “Looks like you’re going to be my knight in shining armor.”
Carlos thinks about it for a moment, never taking his dark eyes off her.
“Happy to oblige,” he shoots back with a wry smile.
Dax, Leo, and Beck come out of the kitchen with matching expressions—stern, determined, and clear in what they need to do next. I guess the chat they had with Carlos earlier is sinking in. Priorities and objectives are shaping up. Looking at my men now, I can’t help but feel reassured that I am in good hands, that there is light at the end of this wretched tunnel.
19
OLIVIA
