My mom was my number one fan. She always smoothed things over with my dad after one of our heated arguments.
Tate sank into the leather cushion, the glass tipped to his mouth. “We don’t have fathers listed on our birth certificates. My mom was an only child and wasn’t close to her family.” He took another sip, pausing for a moment before he said, “They say siblings usually stay together in foster care. But that wasn’t the case for Liv and me. After seeing my criminal record, they didn’t think twice about sending me to a different home.”
“I took care of that,” I told him, hoping a clean slate would comfort him. “A judge expunged your record.”
His lips parted in shock, then closed. He stared, blinked a few times. Then, he leaned over and threw one arm around me.
“Thanks, man. This means a lot to us. I could have lived on the streets for years. I’m a survivor. But Liv… I couldn’t keep her out there for much longer.”
I hugged him back, holding on for a second too long before pulling away. “I’m just glad you finally accepted my help. After months of chasing you two down, it was getting exhausting.”
Tate laughed. “What can I say? I don’t trust easily. I’ve had to deal with one asshole after another trying to use and abuse me. I have to strike first. It’s the only way I know how to make it.”
My gut ached at his confession. I complained about my overbearing father, who had treated me like shit from birth. But I didn’t know how it felt to be homeless, starving, and with no place to go.
“You’re safe now.” I put my hand on his knee and grinned. “No more looking over your shoulder or worrying about the cops.”
Tate shoved a hand through his dark hair that needed a cut. “What’s the plan?”
“Olivia will stay here and attend Astor Prep. She starts on Monday. And you will meet with the recruiter in the morning. If you’re strong enough, you can ship out for boot camp within the next week.”
Tate punched my arm and snickered. “Strong enough? I’ll show you.” He raised his fists, laughing. “Wanna fight, Battle?”
I shook my head and laughed, swatting at his hands. “Okay, tough guy. You know what I mean. Not that long ago, you were knocking on death’s door.”
“I’m fine.” He extended his arms wide and smirked. “Picture of health.”
Despite his recent living situation, Tate was still strong in the arms and chest, built solid. He had definition in his biceps andcalves and could easily bulk up with the proper discipline and diet.
“I keep IV fluids in a supply cabinet upstairs. If you want to fast-track things, you’ll need to get your body up to an acceptable level.”
“Done and done,” Tate said, confident. “Did you mean what you said about the job? The head of security position? Will you really hire me when I get back?”
I nodded. “The job is yours if you last the four years without getting your punk ass dishonorably discharged.”
“Dick,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Game on.”
I downed the dregs of my highball glass and set it on the table. “A nurse will be here tomorrow. We need to know why my father tasked me with finding you and Olivia. Regardless of the DNA results, you’re a Battle now. Welcome to the family, brother.”
“Brother,” Tate said with a smile that reached his eyes. “I like the sound of that.”
CHAPTER 7
DRAKE
The night before Tate was shipping out for Marine Corps bootcamp, we ate dinner as a family.
Steak and potatoes.
Tate’s favorite.
Like me, he was simple and easy to please. We finished the meal with German chocolate cake and coffee. Olivia cried throughout the entire meal, sobbing into a cloth napkin. She ate barely more than a few bites, distraught over being separated from Tate again.
I scooped Olivia into my arms and carried her to the elevator with her brother in tow. We rode the elevator to the second floor and headed into Olivia’s bedroom. I set her on the bed and ran down the hallway to the bathroom, grabbing a bottle of pills and filling a glass of water.
Olivia leaned back on a stack of pillows, cradled in her brother’s arms. “I’m going to miss you. This totally sucks. Three months is a long time.”
“I know this is hard,” Tate said in a soothing tone. “And it blows they won’t let me call you all the time to check-in. But you have Drake now. He’s a good guy. Let him take care of you.”
