Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,27

end her.”

As far as Travis was concerned, Juliet Prince didn’t deserve a day behind bars with three squares and a cot. The only place she deserved to be was in the cold, hard ground.

“Hopefully,” he continued aloud, “once that happens, Gage can forgive me, and the kids won’t grow to hate me as much as I hate myself.”

And that was his fear now. That Gage wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye and the kids wouldn’t want to see his face when they realized this was all his fault. And he couldn’t blame them.

He heard someone clear their throat, and he peered over his shoulder to see Gage standing there, hands in his pockets, eyes piercing right through Travis.

“Trav,” Gage said roughly, taking a step forward.

As much as Travis believed Gage deserved so much better than him, in that moment, Gage was the only person on the planet who could offer him even a modicum of relief.

Rather than warn him off or send him away, Travis turned to face Gage fully, and when his husband moved toward him, Travis took a single step, then another until they were standing there, wrapped tightly in one another’s arms as the sobs tore free. Travis cradled Gage’s head, while Gage did the same in return. It wasn’t a gentle embrace but rather a hard hug that gave them both something to hold on to for those brief seconds.

And when they separated, Travis scrubbed his face with the palms of his hands and took a deep breath.

“Don’t make me do this alone, Trav,” Gage whispered, his brown eyes glittering with so much pain.

“I would never,” he promised, reaching for him again, holding on.

He knew he’d been distant the past few days, and he wouldn’t make excuses for it. He’d left the hard parts to Gage and he shouldn’t have, but rational thought hadn’t been an option. Anyone who knew him knew his emotions ran hot, and when they did, he tended to do the wrong thing. Gage of all people knew that about him.

In fact, it was Gage’s acceptance of him that made him love the man all the more.

Several hours later, after Travis had stopped by his parents’ house for the reception, listened while people shared stories of how they knew Kylie, how she’d made their life a bit brighter, Travis was glad to be home.

Gage and the kids had come home at his request, and he’d spent the past hour helping Gage get them all settled in. Maddox and Haden had gone right to sleep, the events of the past few days wearing them down. They were safe and warm in the comfort of their own beds, and Travis hoped they would sleep through the night because of it.

Kade, Avery, and Kate weren’t giving in quite so easily, but Travis didn’t mind. He had settled in his recliner with Avery and her little fuzzy blanket in his lap, while Kade sat on the floor with his video game controller in his hand. Kate was lying on the couch, her head on Gage’s thigh as she watched her brother. Every so often, Travis would look over, watch Gage as he lightly brushed Kate’s hair with his hand.

Travis focused on breathing, fought the urge to look toward the stairs, to wonder what Kylie was doing. On nights like this, she would often sneak upstairs for some quiet time of her own. She had loved to read, and whenever possible, she would carve out the time to enjoy a bath, a book, and a glass of wine.

Never again.

He felt the emotion bubble in his chest, but he held it back. He did not want the kids to see him fall apart. This was hard enough on them; he did not need to make it worse. But even as he glanced from one kid to the next, he couldn’t help but think that this was what Kylie had built. This family … this was all her. And now she wasn’t here with them.

Minutes ticked by as they remained where they were. Kate and Avery didn’t last long, falling asleep with nothing to keep them preoccupied. It wasn’t until Kade reclined on the floor that Travis decided it was time for them all to get up to their beds. They’d had a long, emotional day and they needed to sleep.

With Gage’s help, they got the kids tucked in, and when Travis returned downstairs, it was to find Gage in the kitchen. He was leaning back