“I feel out of place. Like I don’t belong,” she said, staring ahead.
“They’re our family, Quentin. Of course you belong.”
“They’re your family, Gray.”
She turned her head to look at me and the sadness ran through her features. This was not what I wanted for the day.
“Come here,” I demanded, holding out an arm. She scooted closer, tucking herself into my side. “I set this up after what you brought up in bed the other night.”
“What?”
“You got me to promise you I would always be there.”
“What does that have to do with your family?”
“Ourfamily, Quen,” I stressed. “I wanted to show you it won’t only be me who will be there for you. You have so many others.”
She let out a shuddering breath, and I rubbed her arm, offering her a small token of comfort.
“I know no one could ever replace your parents or Cassidy.”
“Ever.”
“I know.”
“My brother is one of a kind.”
“You’re both a pain in the ass.”
She shoved me gently and bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling.
“But,” I continued, “you will always have family here and they will love you like their own. You see how crazy Erik has been about you since day one?”
“I think he likes me better than you.”
It was always a competition with Quentin, but I wasn’t about to admit that she might be right in this case.
“You’re missing them?” I guessed tentatively.
“I’m always curious what they would have thought of you. I wonder if we would have had traditions. Gray, I wish they were still here.”
I hugged her close to me, unsure of what to say. When I’d lost people, it hadn’t impacted my life in the way it had with Quentin. If our binding was letting me feel even an ounce of how she felt, then I’d do everything in my power to never lose people I cared deeply about because even this small fraction was immensely painful.
“The closest we can get is reliving your memories of them if you share them with me. Remember when I shared my memories of Mallory?”
She nodded.
Sharing memories made them vivid. Almost like you were standing in them as they happened. I wished I could do more, but even as a God, death was final.
“I think I’d like to try that when we’re alone,” she said.
“Whenever you want.”
Quentin gave me a squeeze, and I brushed my lips against her forehead gently. I could and would give her nearly everything in the world, but this was where I felt powerless.
“Let’s go back inside,” she said.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
