Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home #2)- Nikita Parmenter Page 0,143

to sort this out. This is not a final goodbye” he says firmly and a tear drips down my cheek. I only allow the one to escape and he frowns using the pad of his thumb to wipe it away.

“It feels like a final goodbye” I whisper brokenly.

It hurts so damn much.

He pulls me in, bringing me against his chest and holding me tightly as he takes a shuddering breath. He holds me for as long as he can before we really need to get going if we’re going to get down the mountain before it gets dark.

He kisses me as if it will be our last and my heart breaks as I put as much feeling as possible into it. Our tongues tangling, as our hands try to bring us closer together.

“Keep this hidden ok?” He says seriously as we separate and he tucks the necklace with the ring on back underneath my top.

I can tell how important it is to him that I do as he asks and I nod.

“I promise” I manage to get out past the clog of emotion in my throat.

“Forever and always” he says as turns me towards the car.

“Forever and always” I reply and then I walk towards the truck unable to look back.

Cash opens the door and pulls the seat forward so I can get in the back with Jensen. He pulls me in quickly as I pass him, hugging me and giving me a kiss on the top of my head as I pass.

“He hasn’t taken that off in all of the time that we’ve known him” he mutters, they obviously saw Atlas give me the ring.

I just smile sadly as I hop in the back. As soon as my seatbelt is on Jensen pulls me into his arms and the dam breaks as tears slip down my cheeks. I’m unable to stop them and I don’t even want to, this hurts like a bitch. Trick pulls out of the garage and starts our journey home, the truck quiet as each of us are lost in our own thoughts.

Can I really call it home if I feel like I’ve left a piece of my home behind?

Atlas

Watching her drive away with the only true family I have ever known, is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do and I don’t remember a single damn easy day in my life until I met the guys. The urge to just say fuck it and bring them all in now was so strong that I almost caved but if I had, I wouldn’t be able to guarantee Ever’s safety and I need to be able to do that before I bring them all in. I have to let her go right now, I don’t have a choice. The simple fact of it is that it’s not safe for her to be around me. I’m more determined than I ever have been to exterminate the threat. I want a life with Ever and my brothers, granted it would be an unusual life and for more reasons than the obvious one. Reasons that the guys don’t fully understand yet but Trick is starting to pick up on.

I will fight tooth and fucking nail to get that life though.

My fingers automatically go to spin the ring on my finger as I watch them drive away, a habit I’ve had since it first fit me. I always spin it when I get lost in thought. I grin when it’s not there. Ever has no idea the significance of that ring and what it means that I gave it to her. Quinn would probably have a fucking heart attack but I’m hoping that by the time him and Rage find out, I will be able to bring the guys and Ever in. That way they’ll understand why I gave it to her, Quinn already has an idea and I know for damn sure I’m going to get twenty fucking questions when I stop in on my way back later.

There’s a tradition in my family, one of the only fucking tradition’s I’ll ever honour. The men in my family are made rings when we are born. All of the rings have the family crest and motto on them but then they have a combination of gems specific to each man. No two rings look the same and we never take the ring off. As babies we wear it on a chain around our necks until we’re old enough to