Page 41 of Swan

We will.

We had to.

Grinding my teeth together, I sucked in a deep breath and got in behind the wheel. I started the car and took her hand in mine.

“Love you, sweetheart.”

She shook her head and made a noise in the back of her throat.

I pulled out into traffic and drove us home, knowing she wasn’t far away from breaking and letting that tragic scene destroy her. I had a feeling she was holding on until she was home.

As soon as we hit the driveway, the front door was thrown open, and Deanna raced out. Close behind her was Nick. Then Talon, Zara, Maya, Texas, Drake, and Ruby followed him out onto the porch. All wore the mask of devastation.

I undid my belt and then Swan’s.

“Mum’s coming, sweetheart. We’re all here for you.” I turned towards her and cupped the back of her neck. A pained sound dropped from her lips. I unlocked my jaw to tell her, “You can let go, baby girl, and we’ll catch you.”

Deanna was at her door. She opened it and crouched. “I’m here. I’m here, sweetheart. Mum’s here. I’m so sorry this happened to?—”

Swan threw her head back and bellowed, the anguish ripping through her.

“I know, baby. I know,” Deanna said, her eyes filling like mine at seeing our girl in pain.

Swan fell sideways and into Deanna’s arms, crying, whimpering, howling as she gripped at her mother like she wanted Deanna to hold her together.

I got out of the car and walked around to them.

Together, Deanna and I helped Swan stand.

When her legs gave out, I swept her up into my arms, and she buried her head into my shoulder, clawing at my tee, trying to dig herself in to hide.

“We’ve got you, baby girl. We’re here,” I told her, looking to my woman, whose bottom lip trembled. I tipped my chin towards the house. “She needs a shower.”

“I’ll get it started.” She rushed off, Zara following her inside. Glad that my Dee would have her girl at her back. I walked to the porch and saw Maya crying in Texas’s arms. Talon held his youngest daughter as she bawled. Hell, even Talon’s eyes were misted like mine. As were Dragon’s, and they were glued to my girl in my arms.

I grunted my thanks for their support before taking her inside.

In the bathroom, Deanna had the shower running already, and she stepped out of Zara’s arms when she saw us enter.

I placed Swan on her feet, but she didn’t want to let go of my tee. She started whimpering louder.

Deanna stepped up behind her and covered Swan’s hand with hers. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you in the shower.” She blinked, and her tears ran down her cheeks. Swan let out a pained moan and shook her head. Zara got close and brushed a hand over Swan’s long locks.

Deanna tried again. “Baby girl, let your dad go, and we can take care of you, yeah?”

I kissed Swan’s temple. “I’ll be right outside the bathroom. I won’t go far.”

There was the sound of her swallowing over and over as she slowly unglued her fingers from my tee. When I stepped back, Deanna moved in to hold onto her.

“We’re here. We’ve got you.” She kissed our daughter’s temple.

Swan whimpered, shaking uncontrollably. Zara helped support her.

Deanna drew in a shuddering breath. “Life is fucking cruel to take him from you like this, my sweet girl.”

I stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door just as Swan’s tortured scream slammed through the walls.

“That’s it, my girl. Let it out. Let us have it,” I heard my woman say as I thumped my forehead to the wall beside the door.

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