Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,44

favorite person, she was kind and thoughtful. Holden scratched a call to his friend onto his mental to-do list. A call that would include explaining some things to Evie, key points he’d left out of the story that he didn’t want her to know—but it was time to come clean.

“I’m sure I’ll see her at some point today.”

“Bet on it. She’s…feeling guilty for giving Charleigh the cold shoulder. Especially after Bobby talked to her at Christmas. I guess the last vestiges of her grudge wore off yesterday. She feels like shit.”

So it seemed Bobby had shared.

Fuck.

“She shouldn’t, but I’ll talk to her.”

“Right. See you in thirty.”

Holden disconnected and Faith looked up at him. “How’d you know that an everything bagel is Mom’s favorite?”

Because I’ve toasted them for her hundreds of times.

“Told you. I’ve known your mom a long time. I know she loves extra cheese on her pizza but she doesn’t like cheese on her hamburgers. She loves baked potatoes but hates potato salad and only likes fries from McDonald's. She’s not a fan of eating in the morning but she loves bagels and her favorite meal of the day is lunch.”

The little girl’s eyes widened and she asked, “What’s her favorite soda?”

“That’s a trick question, doll. Your mom doesn’t drink soda, she drinks iced tea with Sweet’N Low. But, she despises sweet tea. She says it’s too sweet.”

“Wow. That’s cool. You know, like, everything about her.”

“Pretty much.”

Holden heard Charleigh make a disgruntled sound but he kept his eyes on Faith. She was smiling up at him as if he’d brightened her world.

But his eyes stayed glued on that damn depression on her cheek.

17

How did I get here?

Not here in this hospital bed, but here—here. The here and now. The here where Faith was sitting on Holden’s lap listening to him tell her stories about when we were younger. The here where my daughter was hanging on his every word completely enthralled. The here where every muscle was tight and my skin prickled.

I’d thought I’d been pushed to my limits before. Just yesterday, I’d been hit over the head. When I’d woken up and learned my child was kidnapped, I thought I’d finally been shoved over the edge into a dark abyss of anger and fear and I’d be lost there forever. But then I found out Holden had gone after Faith, and there was a part of me that knew he’d find her, and I found the will to keep myself together.

But this?

The two of them together—smiling and joking and having a grand old time at my expense. This I couldn’t handle. This was too much for my peace of mind. This was everything I’d ever dreamed of and my worst nightmare all rolled into one.

He’s going to hurt her.

Faith would fall in love with him just like I had…and she would be crushed when he walked away.

I had to get out of here. I needed to get the two of them apart and explain to my kid that she shouldn’t get attached to the man who would charm her, make her feel like she was the most important thing in the world, make her believe she was beautiful and loved, only to tear it all away and leave her in shambles. Leave her wondering what she’d done wrong, where she’d failed, how she could’ve been so wrong to love him so much and believe they’d live happily ever after.

There was a tap on the door. It slowly opened and Micky poked her head in.

“Morning. We come bearing gifts.”

Micky walked in followed by her husband. Both had their hands full of white paper bags, but I only had eyes for Nixon. Coffee. Thank God. Maybe after I sucked down some caffeine my head would clear and I’d be able to formulate a plan of escape. The only problem with leaving the hospital was going home.

“Yay. Pancakes,” Faith squealed and my eyes left the drink holder in Nixon’s hand and landed on my daughter’s pretty face.

Happy. That was the only way to describe her. How was that possible? It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since she was taken from me and she was smiling and calm.

Holden.

It was all Holden. His presence. His gentle teasing. His strength.

Damn.

“Pancakes, butter, and bacon,” Nixon announced and Faith’s smile faded.

“He’s kidding, doll,” Holden said and hugged her tight. “Nix would never forget your syrup.”

With a heavy heart, I watched Faith tip her head back and grin at Holden. The smile so sweet and innocent, it