Page 53 of The Raven
But I was determined to get through it. Grim and the others had takenenough from me, and I wasn’t going to let them win and take my future like they’d tried so hard to do.
Mason was by my side every step of the way. He was my constant support.My rock. Myeverything.Not once did his love waver.
Life took a turn for the better when, six years ago, I fell pregnant. Weweren’t trying for children, and truthfully, we didn’t think I’d be able to have them. The doctors warnedthatparts of my body may never recover from the damage caused on the night the Vipers attacked me and the subsequent coma.
But here we were, with notjustone, but two miracle children.
A high-pitched giggle sounded from outside, and the lure of my familypulled me away from the photos. I headed out the back door, walking the fifty steps through our garden and opening the gate to step onto the beach.
In the distance, Eric chased Robin, my four-year-old daughter giggling ather brother’s attempt to catch her, the two of them watched carefully by their father.
Mason wasn’t in the police anymore; he’d grown tired of fighting against a broken justice system. After the endless support he gave me, he retrained to be a counsellor, working with children and teenagers from deprived backgrounds, helping them to improve their lives. He was damn good at his job, too. He’d transformed countless lives over the years.
My feet sank into the sand as I made my way to them, grinning when Masonjoined in the chase and grabbed the two kids, wrapping them up in his arms.
“Daddy!”Robin squealed as he spun them around before her blue eyesfound me.“Mommy’s home!”
She wriggled out of his arms and started running as fast as her little legscould carry her over to me. I lowered myself to my knees and opened my arms.
“Hey, baby bird,”I said, calling her the nickname both Mason and I hadcalled her from the minute we agreed on her name.
Her little body plowed into me, and she wrapped her arms around myneck. I kissed her on the cheek as Eric reached us, joining in with the hug. As I embraced my children, my eyes met Mason’s as he strolled toward us, a loving grin on his face.
My heart thumped against my ribs like it always did when I saw him. Therewould never be a time when I wasn’t swamped with the feeling of immense love whenever I was with him.
When he stopped in front of the three of us hugging, I released the kids andstood. Immediately, his arms were around me, needing to touch me as much as I needed to touch him.
“Welcome home, Blackbird.”He pressed his lips against mine, softly atfirst, but deepening the kiss.
“Ewww,”Eric said, making a gagging noise. He was atthatage where anyform of affection between his parents grossedhim out.
Mason and I broke apart, the two of us chuckling as Mason rubbed his son’shead.“Don’t knock it, buddy. One day, you’ll find the person who is your soulmate.”
Eric scowled while Robin beamed, her inquisitive eyes darting betweenMason and me.
“Who wants popcorn while we watch a film?”I asked.
“Me!” Robin squealed. “Can I pick?”
“It’s my turn to pick,”Eric countered.
Mason and I grinned at each other. Eric and Robin were the best of friends.Except when it came to picking films, they could never agree, and it usually resulted in us having to watch two films, one straight after the other, to stop them from bickering.
We wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“Maybe your mom and I get to choose this time,”Mason said, wrappingone arm around Eric’s shoulders.
With his free hand, he grabbed my hand while I clasped Robin’s little handin my other. The four of us started up the beach, back to the house.
Our home.
Mason
Over the years, Raven’s nightmares had eased, but on rare occasions, theymade an appearance.
A soft gasp woke me from my sleep, and I reached over to flick the bedsidelamp on, finding my wife sitting up and breathing heavily, a light sheen of sweat coating her body.
“Hey, you’re okay. You’re safe,”I said, sitting up and scooting closer so Icould wrap an arm around her shoulder.
