I step into the room, closing the door behind me. “You’re being a mother. Protecting your kids. That’s what you’re doing.”
“But I should be—” She gestures vaguely. “Out there. Finding Ryan and Aria. Making them pay for what they did?—”
“And you will,” I interrupt gently. “When the time comes. When we find them. You’ll be there. But right now, Noah and Liam need you more than we need another fighter.”
“I feel like I’m running away again.” Her voice breaks on the words. “Like I’m abandoning you all to clean up my mess?—”
“Parker, stop.” I cross to her, and when she doesn’t move away I take her hands in mine, pulling her toward the bed. “Sit.”
She sits on the edge of the mattress, and I kneel in front of her, keeping her hands in mine so she can’t hide or pull away.
“Look at me,” I say softly.
She does, those sea-glass eyes swimming with tears she refuses to let fall.
“You are not running away,” I tell her firmly. “You’re protecting your children.Ourchildren. There’s a difference.”
“But—”
“No buts. Parker, you kicked my ass and Jace’s ass on that mat like it was just breathing to you. You’re an Amazon. A warrior. Strong as hell.” I squeeze her hands. “But even Amazons are mothers. Even the strongest women on the planet know when it’s time to protect and when it’s time to fight. And right now? Protecting Noah and Liam means being with them. Keeping them safe. Helping them feel secure.”
“What if you need me?” she whispers. “What if something happens and I’m not here?—”
“I’m sure somethingwillhappen, but, angel, we’ll handle it,” I say simply. “Parker, we’ve been doing this for twenty years. Me, Jace, Silas, Charles—we know how to hunt, how to fight, how to survive. We’ll find Ryan and Aria. We’ll dismantle their network. We’ll eliminate the threat. And you—” I reach up to cup her face. “You’ll keep those boys safe. Keep them happy. Keep them from having nightmares about yesterday. That’s not weakness. That’s the strongest thing you can do.”
“I’m supposed to trust you,” she says, and it sounds like she’s trying to convince herself. “I’m supposed to let you handle this while I go play house in Martha’s Vineyard?—”
“You’re not playing house. You’re being a mother.” I lean forward, resting my forehead against hers. “And trusting us isn’t making you weak. It’s making you smart. Because you can’t be in two places at once. You can’t simultaneously protect the boys and eliminate threats. So you’re choosing to protect, and you’re trusting us to hunt. That’s partnership, Parker. That’s family.”
A tear finally escapes, tracking down her cheek. “What if I make the wrong choice?”
“You’re not.” I wipe the tear away with my thumb. “You’re making the only choice that matters. Those boys need their mother.”
“They need their fathers, too.”
Fucking…Dammit.
I take a deep breath, the air burning my chest as my heart pounds so violently I’m sure my ribs will crack.
I wasn’t expecting her to say that.
I shut my eyes, finding all the strength I can not to try to find a way for her to stay. It’s out of the question. If the boys are in danger, she’s in danger. And we’ve always protected her whether she liked it or not. I open my eyes and squeeze her hands in mine, reinforcing her will with my own.
“They need to know you’re there, that you’re keeping them safe, that everything’s going to be okay. We can track down Ryan and Aria without you. But Noah and Liam? They can’t heal from yesterday without you.”
She closes her eyes, more tears falling. “I hate this. I hate that I have to choose. I hate that someone came after my babies and I can’t be the one to make them pay?—”
“You will make them pay,” I promise. “Just not today. Today you’re going to pack and you’re going to get on that jet with your boys and Sienna and the kids and Evelyn and Maria. You’re going to go somewhere beautiful and safe. You’re going to let those boys be kids again. And when we find Ryan and Aria—” My voice hardens. “—we’ll bring you back. We’ll make sure you’re there when they pay for what they did.”
“Promise?” Her voice is small, vulnerable in a way I rarely hear.
“Promise.” I pull her into my arms, holding her tight. “You’re not alone in this anymore, Parker. You don’t have to be everything to everyone. You can be their mother. And we’ll be their protectors. Together, we’ll keep them safe.”
She clings to me, her face buried in my shoulder, and I feel the moment she finally lets go—the walls crumbling, the weight she’s been carrying alone finally shared.
“I’m scared,” she admits against my neck. “I’m scared something will happen to you while I’m gone. I’m scared Ryan and Aria will hurt someone I love and I won’t be there to stop it. I’m scared?—”
“I know.” I stroke her hair, keeping her close. “But we’re going to be okay. All of us. Because we have each other now. Because you’re not facing this alone anymore.”
