Falling into You (Falling Stars 3)

“Emily came,” he assured her. “She is going to watch over her so I can be with you.”

Relief flashed across her face before she flinched. “Did she witness anything? Did she see me like this?”

“No,” he said. “She was in the house when I went down to check on you when you didn’t answer my texts or calls. I made sure she stayed inside while the paramedics attended to you.”

His words were a balm, the girl slumping down lower, her shoulders sinking into the bed. “Thank God. I can’t…if something would have happened to her—”

I was back to holding her face.

Not with force.

With care.

With the love that was never going to stop. “It won’t. Won’t let anyone get near her. Just like I won’t let anyone get near you again.”

The promise echoed through the tiny space, and her dried lips parted, those eyes watching me like they were desperate for a way to believe.

Mr. Marin edged forward and captured her attention. “I’m so sorry, mija. I am so sorry.”

A frown dented between her eyes. “It’s not your fault.”

“How could I not have known someone was on my land? How was I not there to protect you?”

Grief churned through his eyes.

I touched his shoulder. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known. I won’t let anything happen to her again.”

I was going to end this.

Ensure she was safe.

My attention drifted back to her. She was fighting tears. Wisps of that black hair was spread out on the pillow, girl so pretty it hurt.

My dream.

My fantasy.

Battered and bruised.

“You need to rest,” I murmured, “I’m sure the doctor will be in soon enough to poke and prod you.”

She almost smiled at that, and I wound her hand in mine, brought her knuckles to my lips, whispered, “Why don’t you sleep a bit until then? We’ll be right here. Watching over you. You don’t have to be afraid.”

She nodded again, and her eyes dropped closed.

I sat down on the hard-plastic chair next to her while she slept. Her father was on the other side. Both of us refusing to budge.

Two of us just…watching over her.

An hour must have passed before he spoke. “Please, don’t hurt her again. You already wrecked her spirit. I can’t stand to watch you return to ruin her life again.”

A knife of shame sliced through me.

“Ruining her is the last thing I want to do,” I told him, voice barely loud enough for him to hear.

He looked up at me in a challenge. “Do you know anything else?”

“I’m trying to figure that out. How to be everything she needs me to be.”

His gaze drifted back to her sleeping form. “This beautiful girl should never be a test.”

Guilt constricted my chest. When he found out what I had done, what would he think? How far would the hatred go? Could there ever be forgiveness?

Didn’t expect forgiveness.

Didn’t deserve it.

But I’d fight for it anyway.

Give this man back a little of what I’d taken.

The confession left me. No reservations. “I love her. I always have, and I’m not ever going to stop.”

He blanched when I claimed it, and his lips pursed in confusion. “Then why would you leave?”

“Need you to know, I never wanted to. I wasn’t left with another choice. That choice was taken from me the day I was forced into a battle I’d never signed up to fight. I left because it was the only way to keep her out of it. The last thing I wanted was for her to be a casualty.”

His chin lifted, his mouth warbling at the side. “I see secrets in your eyes.”

I gave him a tight nod of affirmation.

No sense in denying it. It would only make it worse in the end.

He looked at his daughter before he looked back at me. “Are you responsible for this?”

Knew he wasn’t asking if I’d physically hurt her.

Think he already knew the answer to that.

Never.

I gulped down the agony, the fire that burned my throat and blazed through every cell in my body. “Not gonna lie. I’ve got enemies. And if one of them came to her through me? They will wish they never knew my name.”

His throat bobbed. Got the sense he felt the ferocity of what I was saying.

He’d have every right to kick me to the curb.

That’s where I belonged.

“There is so much pain in our lives right now. We cannot shoulder another burden. Please…take care of her. Protect her. Protect them.”

“I will. I promise you that.”

Violet and that little girl? They were mine.

My duty.

I slumped down farther in the chair, watching her sleep. Could do it forever.

Didn’t know if I’d started to drift, but I jumped when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I dug it out and swiped into the screen.

Royce: What the fuck, man?I glanced over at Mr. Marin who had nodded off, his head rocked back against the wall, the rage I’d felt earlier still right there. Bated. Waiting on direction.