Page 76 of Rampage

The image makes me laugh—a dozen leather-clad bikers lined up at the airport to welcome my aunt. "Maybe just you for the initial meeting," I say, smiling against his chest. "Though I want her to meet everyone eventually."

"They're your family too now," Reid reminds me. "All of them. And they'll want to make sure your aunt is good enough for you."

The protective sentiment warms me from the inside out. "I should call Deb, ask for tomorrow evening off."

The next day passes in a blur of nervous energy. I clean Reid's cabin obsessively, though Eleanor won't be staying with us. Reid has arranged a room for her at the nicest hotel in town. I change outfits four times before settling on a simple sundress that makes me feel pretty without trying too hard.

"You look beautiful," Reid assures me as we drive to the airport, his hand steady on my knee. "Stop worrying."

But I can't stop. What if she takes one look at me and sees all the damage Frank did? What if I'm not enough like my mother to satisfy her? What if she asks questions I'm not ready to answer?

The airport is small, just a single terminal with a few gates. We arrive early, and I pace the waiting area while Reid watches with patient eyes. When the arrival board shows her flight has landed, my heart pounds so hard I feel lightheaded.

"Breathe," Reid reminds me, his arm around my waist keeping me grounded.

Passengers begin trickling through the security doors—businessmen with briefcases, a young family with tired children, an elderly couple walking arm in arm. And then, suddenly, there she is.

Eleanor Chambers is taller than in her photo, with the same chestnut hair as mine, though streaked with silver. She walks with purpose, scanning the waiting area with anxious eyes until her gaze lands on me. She freezes, one hand flying to her mouth.

"Lily?" she calls, her voice breaking on my name.

I step forward on trembling legs. "Aunt Eleanor?"

The space between us vanishes as she rushes forward, enveloping me in a fierce embrace that smells of vanilla and something hauntingly familiar. My mother's perfume, I realize with a jolt, as memories locked away for years suddenly surface—being held in similar arms, that same scent surrounding me, feeling safe and loved.

"Oh my God," Eleanor murmurs against my hair, her voice thick with tears. "You look so much like her. So much like Kate."

My own tears come then, hot and unexpected. I cling to this woman—my blood, my family—as something broken inside me begins to heal.

"I've dreamed of this moment for so long," she says, pulling back to cup my face in her hands. Her eyes, the same shade of green as mine, drink in every detail. "My beautiful niece. All grown up."

Reid hangs back, giving us space, but Eleanor notices him with a knowing smile. "And who is this handsome man?"

I reach for Reid, drawing him forward. "This is Reid. He's…" I hesitate, searching for words adequate to describe all he is to me.

"I'm hers," Reid says, extending his hand to Eleanor. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Eleanor's eyebrows rise slightly at his directness, but her smile widens as she takes his hand. "I can see that you are," she says, her gaze assessing him with the protective scrutiny of family. "And I look forward to learning exactly how that came to be."

Reid's arm slides around my waist, a subtle display of possession that makes my heart flutter. "It's quite a story," he acknowledges, his voice carrying that deep rumble that makes my skin tingle. "But tonight should be about you and Lily reconnecting."

Eleanor nods, her eyes darting between us with undisguised curiosity. "Well, I hope I'll hear it all in good time." She squeezes my hand. "I want to know everything about your life, Lily. Everything I've missed."

The weight of those missing years—the abuse, the fear, the loneliness—settles over me briefly, but I push it aside. "We have time," I promise. "And there are good parts too. Especially recently."

Reid helps with Eleanor's luggage, guiding us toward the exit with the quiet confidence that always makes me feel safe. In the parking lot, he loads her suitcase into the truck, then opens the passenger door for her with old-fashioned courtesy.

"I can see why you keep him around," Eleanor murmurs to me with a conspiratorial smile. "Handsome and well-mannered."

I blush, catching Reid's amused glance as he pretends not to hear. "He's much more than that," I say softly.

During the drive to the hotel, Eleanor fills the silence with stories about her life in Seattle—her work as a high school art teacher, her small house near the water, the garden she tends with obsessive care. She has never been married, doesn’t have any kids, and she just spends her days doing what she enjoys. I listen, soaking in every detail, building a picture of the life I might have had if things had been different.

"I've kept a room for you," she says suddenly, her voice catching. "All these years. Just in case I found you and you needed a place." She turns in her seat to look at me. "It's yours whenever you want it. No pressure, but the option is there."

The offer—so genuine, so full of love—brings fresh tears to my eyes. "Thank you," I whisper, unable to say more through the emotion clogging my throat.

Reid reaches across the console to squeeze my hand, his touch grounding me as always. His silent support gives me the courage to ask the question that's been burning in my mind since I learned of Eleanor's existence.

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