I could feel the conjunction coming. Thatbutthat would likely break my heart.
“But everything is happening so fast. I haven’t even taken a second to grieve my sister yet, and I’m scared. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to get hurt. Can we… can we pretend it didn’t happen? Just for now?”
Shards of my heart impaled my lungs, but I steadied my expression and smiled. “Sure, if that’s what you need.”
Her body deflated with a ragged, relieved sigh. “Thank you.” She ran her hand over my cheek and stretched her fingers into my hair. “You mean the world to me. I just…”
“It’s okay.” I pulled her flush against my body, so she didn’t witness the anguish roll through me.
I wasn’t the man she needed me to be when my father attacked, but I would be the man she needed now. The one who would give her space to realize she could do better.
Even if that meant I’d be a shell when she left.
With tablet in hand,Thomas stopped at the kitchen island. He set it down and smiled.
“What?” I asked him as I burped Elias.
“You seem to enjoy that.”
As if to agree, Elias belched and then grunted. I lowered him into my arms and rocked him. I enjoyed it a lot. I cared about Cora, and now she had a son. They were a package deal. I couldn’t have them, but I wanted them equally.
His hand wrapped around my pinky finger and squeezed. Yeah, after all was said and done, I thoroughly enjoyed holding Elias. “He’s only two months old. He doesn’t need to be taken through bakeries and dress shops.”
Thomas chuckled and shook his head. “I guess my idea to get married wasn’t so bad after all.”
“You didn’t see her face. I wouldn’t have suggested it if Rex hadn’t made it sound like she might lose him.” I strode to the baby swing I’d moved into the living room and secured Elias in it. If he kept to his schedule, he’d sleep for about an hour and then need to be changed. I just hoped it was nothing like the day before. That diaper disaster had been so bad I’d needed a shower afterward.
I returned to the kitchen. “What’s going on?” I nodded to his tablet.
“Nice redirect.” He laughed. “I thought I’d check into Maya’s accident after Kane said Colter was acting strangely.”
I knew Thomas would without me asking him to. “And?”
“I’m looking at the forensics report from Maya’s accident.” He glanced down at his tablet. “There were strangulation marks on her neck.”
There was no need to ask how he got his hands on it. He had his ways, and that was usually all he’d say. My eyebrows knitted together. “The seatbelt?” I could see her getting tangled in that, maybe.
He shook his head. “She wasn’t wearing one.”
That meant… “She was murdered.”
“That’s what it looks like to me, but the justice of the peace still ruled it an accident.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, anger building. “Why am I not surprised? Wonder how much Colter paid him. Maybe we should pay him a visit and ask.”
“No one has seen or heard from him since he filed this report. He just vanished.”
“Think he’s dead?”
Thomas gave me a look.
“Yeah, it’s what I would have done.”
“What do you want me to do? I can keep digging, but eventually, we’ll draw attention.” Thomas took a seat on the end barstool. “Has Cora mentioned it?”
“No,” I replied. “She hasn’t even allowed herself to grieve yet. She’s too worried about Elias.”
Thomas gave me a look.
