Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,91
Paul died.”
Paul?
Charleigh gasped, and it was a wonder she hadn’t inhaled all of the oxygen in the room. When did Faith start calling her dad Paul? Holden’s lungs felt like they were on fire as he struggled to breathe. And when his gaze sliced to Charleigh, he saw the same.
“What’s in the box?” Faith inquired.
Fucking hell, could the room get anymore uncomfortable?
“Breathe,” Holden muttered as he made his way to Charleigh.
Her startled eyes came to him and she nodded but didn’t follow his orders.
“What’s going on?”
“Let’s you and me go for a walk, Faith,” Nix said. Holden didn’t take his gaze from Charleigh.
“Mom?”
Charleigh jumped and looked around. She read the room correctly when she settled on Faith and said, “It’s okay. Go with Uncle Nix. Maybe you can show him the bird nest you found by the dock.”
“Okay.”
Moments later, the back door opened then closed and the vibe in the house changed from uncomfortable to hostile.
“What’s happening?” Charleigh asked, her voice tinged with rage.
“This is Rhode,” Holden began.
“I know that. Hello, Rhode, nice to meet you. Now why’s he here and what’s with the box?”
Fuck.
“When we were looking for Faith, Rhode was our man in Virginia Beach. Actually, before Faith was taken, he was investigating the Towlers, digging up whatever he could to help you when you went to court. But he was goin’ easy so that he didn’t alert Bea or Patty. After Faith was taken, easy shifted and so did our objective. Rhode searched Bea’s house for clues where they’d taken Faith. He found that box and took it. Last week, he called me and told me that it belonged to Paul and we needed to see what was in it.”
“What’s in it?” She looked back and forth between the two men.
“That’s why Rhode is here to show us.”
Her brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t,” Rhode rejoined. “And I wouldn’t have insisted on bringing it to you if it wasn’t important, and I’m sorry that I didn’t go through it sooner. I was actually going to throw it away, but there’s some stuff you both need to see.”
“Fine,” Charleigh snapped, then her shoulders sagged. “Sorry. I’m being a bitch to you and you helped save my daughter’s life. Thank you for everything you did.”
“It was my pleasure, and I don’t take offense. No one wants their past to invade their present, especially when everything was starting to smooth out. I promise, I wouldn’t be here unless I knew what was in this box could provide answers you both need.”
Rhode handed the box to Holden but paused before he let go.
“I’m sorry, brother.” Motherfuck. Holden felt that straight to his bones. “I’ll be outside with Nixon and Faith.”
Rhode let go and suddenly the box felt like it weighed a ton instead of a few pounds.
Charleigh stared at the box like it was about to explode. “We don’t have to—”
“We do, Leigh-Leigh. No more running. Whatever’s in here, we’ll work through it.” Holden walked into the sitting room off the foyer and fortified his resolve.
No matter what, Charleigh and Faith were his. He’d fight to the death to keep them. He’d beg and plead and get on his knees. Whatever it took to prove to Charleigh he wasn’t ever going to leave her again.
This time, they would win.
They’d come out victorious. Even if it took until he was eighty, he would not leave this earth until Charleigh was his wife.
Holden opened the box and tipped it over. The contents spilled out and he didn’t understand why Rhode thought they were such a big deal.
“Paul’s service awards?” Charleigh shuffled through the papers. “I don’t get it.” Then her hand landed on an envelope with her name scrolled across it in heavy block letters. When she turned it over, the envelope had been opened.
“I’ve never seen this,” she told Holden and pulled out a piece of lined paper.
Holden’s throat clogged. He knew what was in that envelope. Back in the day, he’d written one, too. His jaw clenched and his stomach roiled. Paul was reaching out from the grave.
Jesus, fuck.
There was no mistaking the tightness in Charleigh’s face as she scanned the letter, tightness which triggered his. But it wasn’t until he watched her start to tremble did he finally lose patience. Holden had tried to be respectful and allow her some privacy as she read the words of a dead man. But seeing his woman wracked by violent sobs was too fucking much.