Page 126 of Fearless

“If you knew the truth, you wouldn’t say that.”

“I know, Kristie. Our stories might have taken a different path, but pain, the things we’ve experienced… Well, I think we have a lot more in common now than we ever did.”

She cracks her eyes open and looks at me. Really looks at me.

Her lips part, and I just know the question that’s going to spill free is going to hurt.

“Not yet, remember.”

She nods.

“We’re focusing on the now, on the future. The past will always be there. Unfortunately, it’ll never leave. But we can change. Everything can change,” I promise her. “We can start over. We can be a family again.”

A sob rips from her throat and she falls forward into me, letting me hold her as she breaks all over again.

By the time the guys come back to check in on us, she’s asleep again.

As much as I want to talk to her, to hear her voice, I know it’s what her body needs. She needs her strength. She might have been through a lot, but things are about to get a whole new level of hard if she’s going to come out on the other side of this.

“Hey, babe,” Mav says, slipping into the room. “You hungry?”

For the most part, they’ve all kept their distance today, sensing that Kristie doesn’t need to be overwhelmed by their presence when she wakes.

Every time he’s asked that question so far, I’ve refused. But this time, he walks in with cake, and finally, the scent of vomit has lessened enough for me to smell the rich coffee he’s also carrying.

“Yeah,” I say, sitting up, my eyes dropping to the food.

But he doesn’t pass it over; instead, he lowers himself to the couch and waits for me to join him.

With a smirk, I follow his silent orders. The second I’m in reaching distance, he tugs me onto his lap and wraps his arms around me.

“How are you holding up?” he whispers.

“Yeah, you know."

“No, Doll. I don’t.”

I blow out a breath. “I don’t know. I’m terrified. I’m delighted. I’m… confused,” I try to explain.

“That’s okay.”

“I’ve got everything I’ve wanted for years right now. But what if she doesn’t want the same?”

“One step at a time,” he says, passing me the cake.

“I know. I just want all the answers now.”

I eat the cake and drink the coffee, but I never move off Mav’s lap.

His arms, his warmth, his endless support is too much to deny and I sit there for what feels like hours curled up on him.

He doesn’t complain once. Instead, he just holds me, kisses me, and whispers promises of the future that I really need to hear.

I’m dozing on his shoulder when I hear her voice again.

“Maverick Murray, who’d have thought it.”

“Kris,” I gasp, turning to look at her.

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