Page 13 of Tate
“Your father is attending.”
Glo stared at her. “Really?”
Reba smiled, and it seemed touched with an authentic hint of warmth.
“I told you. We’re all in this together, right?”
Glo nodded, the old mantra fueled more by desire than truth. But it had held them together during countless campaign victories.
And one very painful loss.
“It’s just for a few weeks, honey. You and the Belles need a break anyway.”
“We’re up for an award at the CMGs,” Glo said and instantly felt thirteen. She wasn’t the girl who needed her mother’s approval anymore.
Still, the cracks of the past twelve hours healed, just a little with her mother’s congratulations. “You ladies can do anything you put your minds to.” She grinned at Kelsey.
Glo didn’t know why, but Reba had always held a special place for Kelsey in her heart. Maybe because she reminded her mother of Joy.
After all, both Kelsey and Joy had been fighters, even if one of them had lost her battle.
“We are thinking of postponing our contract with NBR-X,” Kelsey said. The traitor.
“Then it’s settled.”
Glo drew in a breath. Yes. Settled. She didn’t have the energy to argue.
And Tate would be safe on his ranch.
She tightened her mouth but nodded.
The doctor came out of the room. “He’s awake and asking for you all.”
“Is he going to be okay, doc?” This from Knox, who’d been standing away, texting on his cell phone.
“Yeah. He’s tough. I didn’t know he was an ex-Ranger.”
It was news to her, too. Which showed her just how little she actually knew about Tate.
Knox nodded. “He’s been out for about five years.”
“I served with a number of Rangers during Operation Desert Shield. Those guys don’t know how to fail.”
“Let me talk to him alone,” she said to Knox.
He gave her a grim nod.
She pushed into the room, her throat thick.
Tate sat up in the bed, sipping on water. He set the cup on the tray when he saw her. His mouth cracked up into a wry smile. “How you doing, Fight Club?”
His tease bounced off her. She slid onto the bed, this time near his free hand. Took it in both hands and pulled it to her chest. “Tate, I…” She drew a breath, not sure how to tell him?—
His smile vanished. “Glo, first—I know I scared you. I’m sorry—I’m so sorry. I don’t know how Slava found me. I thought we’d be okay. That I could slip away without the Bratva knowing I’d been in town. I made a mistake. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Her eyes were filling, and he let her hand go, reached up and touched her cheek. “I hate seeing this bruise on you.”
She nodded. “Tate…this is bad.”
