Page 191

Sweet.

So damned sweet.

My mind wandered. That face I barely knew filtering into my mind.

Agony swirled from the void inside me.

I clamped it down.

I couldn’t keep going there.

“I’ll go drop them off and come back to help clean up,” Silas said as he pulled Kai from Elena’s arms.

“Nah, I can handle it,” I interjected. “Take the time with your family.”

Knew he was itching to crawl into bed with Brinley.

“You sure?”

“The food is already cleaned up, and the only thing left is sweeping and rolling the shelves back into their spots,” Elena agreed. “It’s not going to take long.”

“Yeah, we can easily handle it. No biggie.” At the thought of being alone with Elena, I had to stuff my hands into my pockets.

Aching to get ahold of her.

Knowing I couldn’t.

Silas lowered his voice and angled his head toward me. “Going to leave five Crows on guard outside. They’ll follow you back to the apartment. A fresh crew will arrive at five in the morning.”

My nod was tight. “Good.”

Severity pulled through his features, his chin lifting in a declaration that we had this. We’d track down this bastard and bring the threat to its end.

“Don’t forget. Barbecue at the house tomorrow afternoon. Get there early,” Meems instructed as she lumbered toward Elena, her limp more obvious.

I cringed, realizing her hip was probably hurting more than it typically did.

She pulled Elena into a hug, murmured words I couldn’t hear, before she turned to me. I leaned down so I could return her hug.

Her voice was held low just for me. “Don’t be looking at me that way, young man. It’s worth a little extra pain, getting to experience my granddaughter reaching her dream tonight.”

I gave her a nod and held her tighter.

“I expect you to take care of her,” she rasped below her breath.

“I always have. That’s not gonna change.” The vow ground out.

I could feel her shake her head against my cheek. “I think it might just be time for a change. Time to stop pretending she’s not meant for you. Time to stop hurting you both.”

It felt like I was trying to swallow down a mouthful of rusted nails. “I don’t⁠—”

“No use in lying to me, Trevan Niles. I’ve always been able to see right through you.”

She’d always had a sixth sense of when I was up to trouble or when I was struggling with something.

The same as she seemed to be able to do with the rest of her family.

“Love is not a burden,” she whispered against my ear and with a pat to my back.