Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,39
were screaming that there was danger behind my front door. Yet, I’d stupidly opened it anyway, thinking it was Holden I was sensing.
Even as disoriented as I was, when I’d woken up, I’d been frantic to talk to Holden, to tell him who had Faith and beg him to find her. Once Kennedy calmed me down, she explained Holden had been in to see me but didn’t stay. At first, my heart sank to a new level of despair. Then she told me Holden wasn’t at the hospital because he and Jameson were already searching for Faith. Holden had blindly gone on the hunt for my kidnapped child. With me unconscious, they had no leads. But Holden had known who’d taken Faith, and he went to Virginia prepared to do whatever he had to do to get her back for me.
And he did. He’d found her and brought her home.
Now my child was clinging to Holden like he was her lifeline. Not me—Holden. She’d leapt out of my arms into his and wrapped her tiny body around his much larger one, and from my position on the bed, I could see her trembling.
I’d hated the Towlers for years, but never had I wished horrible things upon them like I did now. I hoped they were sitting in a jail cell, scared out of their minds. I hoped they were uncomfortable. I hoped that a great many awful things happened to them while they rotted away behind bars. This time, they’d gone too far. This time, they’d awakened the vicious mama bear, and I would stop at nothing until they were ruined. They’d never see Paul’s money. They’d never, ever see Faith again. I would fight until my dying breath to ensure my child wouldn’t have to endure another second with them.
“Faith, honey, it’s late. Holden’s been busy all day. Maybe we should let him go home and get some sleep.”
“No.”
No. Just no. That was all my daughter squeaked out as she clung to Holden.
My gaze lifted and met Holden’s steely eyes. The ever-present pang of loss and grief hit me, but unlike all the other times, I couldn’t hide it. I was emotionally spent. My child had been kidnapped. Kidnapped. Stolen from my home, and I’d been powerless to protect her. The stress, fear, and pain of the day bore down on me and I couldn’t stop the tears. Relief and frustration mingled together. Anger and the deepest terror I’d ever felt boiled until I wanted to lash out and hit something, or scream, or flip the universe off for being so cruel.
“Leigh-Leigh?”
God, he needed to stop calling me that. Every time he said it another crack in my heart formed. That stupid nickname was like salt in a very open wound. One that would never heal. The gashes would always be there, bleeding, exposed, gaping.
“Babe?”
I blinked and Holden came back into focus. His features had softened, the look reminiscent of days gone by. Days and nights when he only looked at me with love and care.
“Everything’s gonna be okay,” he continued. “Faith’s home and no one’s gonna hurt her. Promise, Leigh-Leigh, both of you are safe.”
I wanted to tell him not to make me stupid promises he couldn’t keep. I wanted to tell him to fuck off and leave me alone. But I couldn’t with Faith there. I couldn’t say anything I wanted to say, which included irrationally blaming him. I wasn’t sure what I was blaming him for—nothing was his fault. But in that moment, seeing the man I’d loved for what felt like forever holding my daughter after he’d rescued her, but not before he’d left me and broken my soul, all I could see was red.
Fury and anger welled up. Just as I opened my mouth to say something that would likely scare my daughter, Holden spoke again, “Take a breath, Charleigh.”
I clamped my mouth closed and glared at him. I hated that he was intimately familiar with my temper. I hated that he knew I was going to lose it and say something I’d regret later. Not because my words would be untrue, but because Faith didn’t need to hear.
Once Holden ascertained I had a hold on my tongue, he turned to Faith.
“Let’s get you back into bed with your mama.” Faith shook her head, the movement barely there since her face was buried in his neck. “I’m not going anywhere, but you need to get some sleep. So does your mom.”