Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,37

he’d climbed into the back seat next to her and held her hand. Once she’d calmed down, he’d downloaded some games onto his phone so Faith had something to occupy herself with. That was two hours ago. They still had a little over an hour to go. Some of the tension had ebbed once they were on the highway headed back to Maryland but he knew he wouldn’t be able to fully relax until he reunited mother and daughter.

That was the newest lie he told himself. The truth was, the knot in his stomach wouldn’t unwind until he saw Charleigh. Yes, he wanted to see mother and daughter safely together, but the last time he’d had eyes on Charleigh she’d been unconscious. He’d spoken to her over the phone almost hourly to update her on Faith, so logically he knew she was okay, but he still needed to see her.

“I’m hungry.”

Well, damn, Holden wasn’t sure what to do with that. The doctor had given Faith a clean bill of health and no restrictions, but he didn’t have the first clue what to feed an eight-year-old. Not to mention, it was nearing on midnight.

“Hey, Jameson, can you stop at the next fast food place you see?”

“Mommy says I’m not allowed to eat fast food.”

“Well, kiddo, at this time of night that’s all we got.”

Faith lifted her eyes and the tiny, rebellious smile hit Holden like a semi. Honest to God, how was it even possible for this girl to smile about anything hours after she’d been rescued from a kidnapping? But that wasn’t the only thing that had hit Holden square in the chest with such force, he was happy he was sitting down or he would’ve been knocked on his ass. That small smile, the one that said Faith was down to break all the rules—consequences be damned, was one he would swear he’d seen before. The same grin that had pissed his mother off and told his teammates he was getting ready to do something crazy.

Or was it wishful thinking? Was it his mind playing tricks on him because for years he’d wished Faith was his?

Coveting your neighbor’s wife was a sin—surely coveting your dead teammate’s daughter was as well—but it still didn’t stop Holden from staring at the little girl in fascination.

“Mommy gets me milkshakes on special occasions,” Faith announced.

“Okay…”

“I think you saving me from having to live with Grandma and Aunt Patty is bigger than me getting straight As. So I don’t think Mommy will say anything about me eating McDonald's.”

Holden smiled down at the girl.

“I like the way you think, doll.”

“I’m a good thinker.”

Jameson chuckled, Faith smiled hugely, and Holden’s heart swelled.

It was a horrible idea to get close to Charleigh’s daughter. The pain would be atrocious. But right then, sitting next to Faith, he wanted to know everything about her. He wanted to spend the next hour hearing her talk. And he really wanted to see her smile.

So that’s what he did. Jameson pulled through a McDonald’s, Faith ate her Chicken McNuggets, sipped her milkshake, and Holden listened to her prattle on about anything and everything. By the time they pulled into the hospital parking lot, he knew her favorite food was Charleigh’s homemade tacos, her favorite movie was Barbie Island Princess, her favorite animal was a dog, and she wanted a Tank of her own. He’d learned that Faith wished her mommy would grow a baby in her belly so she could feel it kick like she’d felt touching her Aunt Kennedy’s belly. Faith had been clear she never wanted to see the mean Towlers again and she didn’t like her other grandparents because they weren’t any fun. Her favorite color was red, her favorite person was her mom, and she loved math, hated spelling, and she wanted to be an astronaut when she grew up.

And somewhere deep inside of himself, in a dark place he’d never admit to out loud, he felt sorry that Paul would never know those things about his daughter. But Holden was immensely grateful he did. Even if Charleigh never allowed Faith around him again, he’d never forget all of Faith’s favorite things.

From his seat in the corner of Charleigh’s hospital room, Holden looked away from mother and daughter cuddling on the small, twin-sized bed down to his watch and stood.

It was after three in the morning; the last seventeen hours had been harrowing but it was the last two that had taken it out of him. Witnessing Charleigh