Give Me a Reason (Redemption Hills 1)

“Yeah. Someone shot up the outside of the dive they were hanging at as they were coming out. No one was hit, but the shooter got away. No one got a look at who it was. Ridge is doing everything he can to find out if there is a link to us.”

I dipped my head. “Tell him I appreciate it.”

“Will do. So what in the meantime?” He angled his head in the direction of the footsteps we could hear banging above in Gage’s room.

“We don’t let either of them out of our sight.”

I wasn’t going to let a soul get near either of them.

Would fight. Stand in front of a raze of bullets. Die protecting the two of them.

All of them.

Because I was done losing the people I cared about. And this time, I wasn’t going to fail.

Twenty-Six

Eden

I stood just outside Gage’s bedroom door. Trent knelt at his bedside as the night pressed at the window, that potent, intimidating man gently running his fingers through his son’s hair as he tucked him in. As he murmured sweet words that made his son giggle.

As he adored him. As he loved him.

As he proved he was made of layers and substance.

Of bone and heart and spirit.

Of beauty and darkness.

Enigmatic.

Mysterious.

Kind and good.

Ferocious and terrifying.

Trent had asked Jud if he would keep an eye on Absolution so he could take a few days off, and after Jud and Logan had left, the three of us had spent the day together.

We’d played out back. Laughing under the tree as we’d pushed Gage on the swing. I’d made them spaghetti for dinner, and we’d eaten at the table before we’d snuggled on the couch to watch a movie as the sun had set.

It’d all felt so natural. So right. Even though I could tell Trent was continually on edge.

Watching.

Listening.

Prepared.

On the sly, he’d check his phone for news, though when I’d asked if he’d found out anything, he’d said he didn’t have any information. That Jud was digging, though he gave me no insight or details, only said that he didn’t have any idea of who was responsible for last night.

I could feel him wrapping me in a hedge of protection. A wall he kept me girded behind, terrified to let me see to the other side to where I knew his past prowled.

Lurking and waiting to devour.

I could feel it.

Sense it in the air.

Almost as intensely as I could feel this.

The love that radiated. So bright and blinding that I felt enraptured by it. Held in its gravity. A force that beckoned and blew and compelled me to take a step forward.

It locked in my throat on a knot of emotion as Trent leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to Gage’s head. “Night, little dude.”

Gage grinned. Ear to ear. Those dimples denting and his eyes flashing in the bare light. “Night, night, sleep tight, don’t you dare let the bed bugs bite.”

Trent chuckled.

Warm and devoted.

“No way are any bed bugs getting in here.”

“’cause you’ll chase ’em away, right, Dad, right?”

“That’s right, buddy. Won’t let anything get near you.”

“Because my dad is the best dad in the whole world. Just like I got the best teacher in the whole world and I love her so much and she’s your girlfriend.”

I wobbled at that, my knees weak as I watched the sweet scene. As they both looked my way and a flood of affection slammed me so hard that I lost balance. My hand shot to the doorframe in an attempt to keep myself steady.

There I stood, so close to everything I’d ever wanted. So close to the dreams I’d all but given up on because I’d believed they were no longer meant for me. That I’d lost my chance.

And I wanted this to be mine.

My chance.

My reason.

Trent looked at me like maybe I could be a part of his, too. Though there was no missing the reservations. The lingering belief that he’d stolen the little joy he had, and it’d be flirting with disaster to ask for more.

Begging for his broken heart to get slaughtered.

I understood it.

I understood it.

And still…

I sucked for air when Trent finally stood.

That imposing body filled the space, and his aura rushed me in a wave of greed.

“One more kiss, Miss Murphy!” Gage called, breaking me from the spell the man cast.

I eased in that way, a smile fumbling on my face as I fought the moisture that kept stinging my eyes. I leaned down and pecked a kiss on Gage’s cheek. “There.”

He grinned, those eyes so brilliant, so sweet. “More!”

I kept crossing all the lines I shouldn’t cross, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. I just started to pepper kisses all over his face, his nose and his chin and his cheeks and his eyes, making smacking noises as I did.