Page 103 of Edge of Heaven

Her fingers curl into mine, and I let out an invisible sigh of relief.

Everything is going to be okay.

I don’t know how we’re going to work things out but we will.

By the time we get to the house, Taryn is visibly dragging, so I let Tracy get her settled in her old room—where I’ve been sleeping the last two nights—while I get everything out of the car.

“Okay, I’m going to see Toby,” Tracy announces.

And with that she’s gone, leaving Taryn and me alone.

In the bedroom she grew up in.

“Will you come sit next to me?” she asks when I pause in the doorway. She’s propped up against a bunch of pillows, holding out her hand.

“Of course.” I sit beside her and she immediately rests her head on my shoulder.

“I missed you,” she says softly.

“I missed you too.”

“I need to apologize.”

“Nah. Not necessary.”

“But it is.” She lifts her head and stares into my eyes. “I shouldn’t have said those things or blamed you for what happened… I was upset, scared, and worried about Toby. I wasn’t thinking straight but I shouldn’t have lashed out at you.”

“Who else were going to lash out at?” I counter. “The person you trust the most. And I’m glad that’s me.”

“I do trust you,” she whispers. “More than anyone. I’ve loved you almost since the first time I saw you—and that scared me. When you showed me just how wonderful you are all over again, I didn’t want to fall in love with you again because…” She sighs and drops her gaze.

“Because why?” I press gently.

“Because you have to go, and I have to stay here.” Tears spill down her cheeks, and I turn my body so I can face her, using my thumbs to brush them away.

“Emotionally, I’m not going anywhere. Yeah, we’ll probably have to do the long-distance thing for a while but it won’t be forever. I’m going to take care of you, Taryn. You and Toby. Your mom too, if necessary.”

“If I could fucking move, I would throw myself in your arms,” she whispers, crying harder now.

“Shh. No. Don’t cry.” I gently wrap my arms around her, letting her sob into my chest. “I love you. I always have. I just want to take care of you. If you’ll let me.”

“I want us to take care of each other.”

“We will. I’m taking care of you right now because that’s what you need. Chances are, at some point in our lives, I’m going to need you and that’s when you’ll step up. And maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll go a long period of time where no one needs anyone—so we can just love each other and focus on Toby.”

She lifts her tear-stained face and I can’t resist kissing her, though I keep my touch light because she’s still bruised.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I whisper, pressing my forehead to hers.

“You won’t. I need you to touch me, Mick. For you to touch every bruise, every mark he left, and make them all better.”

“I can do that.”

I stare down at her, the prettiest girl I’ve ever known, and the bruises on her face momentarily piss me off all over again.

But Callum is in jail—it better be for a long time—and the woman I love is here. With me. Hopefully forever.

I run my fingers over her swollen lips and gently skim the cut. It’s healing well, mostly closed, with a small scab starting to form. So I press my lips to it.

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