Page 72 of Lost in the Light

“I’m sorry. How old was your mom?”

“Fifty four. Far too young. I never saw it coming. My mom was always pretty fit and she never stopped between her job at the local high school and the groups she volunteered at. I had no clue we’d lose her so young,” he explained sadly. “She was obsessed with blue birds. She had them printed on crockery and ornaments around the house. She even had them on the wallpaper in her room. I had the tattoo done when I got leave for her funeral.”

“And your sister? Is she okay? I can’t imagine how it must have hurt her to find your mom that way,” I asked.

“She went to some therapy sessions, and she definitely struggled for a while after we lost mom. It didn’t help that I was only able to be home for a week before I got spun up again,” he explained. “She seems better now. I try to see her as much as I can since I got out of the military, but she has her own life. She runs a hair and beauty salon in the city, and she has a new boyfriend she seems happy with.”

“I’d love to meet her sometime.”

“You will. As soon as she finds out I have a girlfriend she’ll be here demanding to meet you. I think you’ll like her.”

“I’m sure I will if she’s anything like her amazing brother,” I teased as I pressed against his chest enough to raise up and kiss his lips. “What do the others mean?”

“Some are just stuff I ended up with after too many drinks with my team after we completed a mission. The numbers betweenthe Celtic patterns down my right arms are the birthdays and death dates of my five team members, most of whom died in the explosion that ended my career. One other guy got evac’d out, but died a day later from his extensive burns. I was the only one who survived.”

“God, Kane. I’m so sorry. That must have been terrible,” I rasped through my tight throat as I lay back down and tightened my arm around him.

“Not gonna lie. I had some very dark months after I got out of that hospital, but Jen, my sister, and Asher pulled me back from the edge eventually. They’re the only reason I’m still here,” he admitted.

“Thank God you are. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I squeaked, my tears escaping now. I hated to think of Kane in so much pain he wanted to end things. I knew what it was to feel that truly lost.

“You’ll never need to know. I’m here to stay now,” he promised.

I swiped the tears from my cheeks, then pushed up again and lay my head over my hands on his chest so I could look into his eyes.

“I’m falling in love with you, Kane,” I admitted emotionally.

“Me too,” he replied as he twisted a strand of my wild hair around his finger. “I’m pissed with myself for even fighting being with you. I just wasted time we could have had together.”

“We’re together now. That’s what matters.” I leaned up until my lips met his, and I kissed him slowly, hoping he could feel the emotion I poured into it. I knew it was quick to be talking about love, but I felt what I felt. I was falling in love with him, Jordan, and Adam, and it was a ride I seemed to be firmly strapped in to now. A ride I never wanted to get off of.

CHAPTER 21

ADDY

“You feeling okay, honey? You’ve been quiet all morning?” Adam fussed as we got out of Kane’s Escalade outside the house the next morning. I’d just been to my latest session with my counsellor, Laura, then Kane and Adam had taken me to a little Italian restaurant for lunch, but I’d been a misery and ruined the whole thing. I hadn’t meant to but I just didn’t feel great. I felt nauseous and my head was pounding hard. Headaches were kind of my thing since that car hit me, since I’d had so many since then, but they were never usually as bad as the one I was currently experiencing. My head was throbbing rhythmically, and there were strange spots of light dancing in my vision.

“Not really. I think maybe I have a migraine,” I groaned as Adam helped me down from the car.

“What’s wrong?” Kane asked as he appeared at my side. Adam wrapped his arm around me and I very happily nestled into his side, hiding my face from the bright sun reflecting off of the snow.

“She has a migraine. I’ll take her to her room so she can lie down. Will you grab her pain meds and some water, then meet us up there?” Adam asked, and I didn’t miss the way he lowered his voice for my benefit.

“On it,” Kane agreed, and I heard him jog away from me and up the steps into the house, while we followed more slowly. The disturbances in my vision were making it hard to stay upright, and I was grateful for the support Adam was giving me.

“Addy! We got it! It’s really ours!” Jordan yelled loudly, and I flinched in pain as I forced myself to look up. I could just make him out as he jumped down the stairs towards me.

I groaned as pain shot through my skull at the loud noise and the act of looking up, then pressed my face into Adam’s side again, praying the nausea bubbling up would calm back down and not make me puke.

“Easy, bro. She has a migraine. Lower your voice,” Adam warned.

“A migraine? Why? What happened?” Jordan worried instantly. I knew he was beside me because I could feel his hand rubbing up and down my arm over my coat.

“I’m okay,” I tried to reassure him. “I just want to lie down. What were you talking about?” I wanted to look round at Jordan, but it just wasn’t worth the pain.

“The Light. We got the building. Asher’s attorney just called to confirm it’s all done. He was able to hurry the purchase through.”

“That’s great,” I told him, but the enthusiasm wasn’t there.

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