Falling into You (Falling Stars 3)

“Daisy. Don’t let go.” The words barely broke free from the fear locking up my throat.

Mabel whimpered.

“Oh, god,” Emily whispered as everyone rushed forward.

“Shit,” Royce grunted. He darted for the tree and started to scale it. “Hang on, Daisy.”

“Don’t let go. Hold on,” I shouted, finally freeing the sound locked in my throat.

I rushed for the trunk of the tree, following behind Royce and shouting, “Hold on, baby. Hold on. We’re comin’ for you.”

But she was screaming. Screaming my name. “Mommy! I slippin’.”

No.

No. No. No. Her hold broke.

A whorl of black hair streaked through my vision.

My turmoil filled the air. “Daisy!” I screamed, trying to get to her but knowing there was no chance.

Out of reach.

Too late. Too late.

The Earth spun, and the ground quaked.

Dread took hold.

Because I knew it.

Knew she was too high. She was too high and I knew this was going to end bad and there was absolutely nothin’ I could do.

The air whipped and dust flew where she made impact.

The magnitude of it brought me to my knees. I went for her, feeling like I was crawlin’ through the rubble, moving in slow motion toward where she had fallen.

This child who was the world.

My reason.

My joy.

My light.

I’d almost made it to her by the time the dust settled.

I realized it wasn’t just Daisy.

He was there.

The child was in a ball against Richard’s chest.

“Oh god,” I whimpered, shocked and unsure and trying to process what it was that I was seeing.

Wondering if I was hallucinating to save myself from the grief.

Sobs ripping from my throat, I climbed to my feet and staggered the rest of the way over to where Richard was holding her in those arms that I had once been so sure had been created to love and protect, my ribs feeling as if they were being ripped in two.

Everything holding me together pulling me apart.

From within the well of his hold, Daisy wailed.

I dropped back to my knees, tearing at his arms to get to her. “Daisy, oh baby, Daisy, are you hurt? Are you hurt?”

Reluctantly, Richard let his arms drop away.

She sat up on his lap. “My wrist hurts real bad.” Then she wailed when she looked at the dirty shoes on her feet. “Oh no, I ruined my best shoes,” she cried out.

I completely crumbled.

Relief. Relief.

The only strength I had left was enough to gather her into my lap. Into my arms.

Tears streamed free. Hot and hard and blinding my sight.

I hugged her close, shushed her, and whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay. We’ll get you another pair.”

I looked at the man from over her head where he’d pushed up to sitting two feet away, roughing agitated hands through his hair.

The man who looked like he’d been wrecked.

Utterly destroyed.

If only he knew what that really felt like.ElevenRichardWhat the fuck just happened?

My heart stampeded, like a thousand thoroughbreds raced around a track carved in the void in my chest while I stared at the woman who was looking at me like she couldn’t believe what I’d done.

Those eyes on me while her soul trembled and shook.

Her fear so patent I could taste it. The terror of what could have been.

The air was held in the meadow.

Like even the wind was afraid to move.

Everyone frozen in this shock that ricocheted between Violet and me.

Fuck.

It’d been instinct. Running to catch the child. Being there. Like my spirit had known exactly where it was supposed to be all along.

Her tiny body ascribed to the surety of my arms.

But that was the motherfucking problem.

I was made to protect her.

Made to protect them.

Thing was, doing it was a crime itself. Breaking the promise I’d made.

But if I hadn’t been there?

At the thought, my pulse stuttered in dread, this thick, sticky fear that slugged through my veins.

Every second I was here it became clearer where I belonged.

Except I would never be accepted.

Just a fool’s game hoping for forgiveness.

For redemption.

Didn’t mean I would give so easily.

Violet was on the ground. So close. Making me itch.

Terror struck in those thunderbolt eyes.

She stared across at me through the connection that whipped and snapped.

Like she wondered if I could understand.

I wanted to get lost there. In her gaze. In this feeling that urged me to crawl to them, wrap them up, and promise I would never leave.

Bullshit.

A motherfucking pipe dream that would only burn me in the end.

Crush and destroy.

My mom was the first to shoot into action.

She ran around me to get to Violet and the child, and I scrubbed both palms over my face like it could eradicate every thought that had just blazed through my mind.

Like it could stop what I could feel being set into motion.

The greed that pulsed.

Devotion a drum that grew in intensity.

My mom knelt in front of them. Affection and agony oozed from her pores, and fuck, that slayed me, too.