Then he reached for my hand and held it tight. It felt like he’d reached right into my chest and taken hold of my heart.
It wasn’t just Grace and me in the waiting area. Ashford and Callum were here too. All my siblings, together again, and not for a fun reason. Last time it had been the hospital after I’d told them everything about my past.
And here we were again, reckoning with dark family secrets. Piper’s this time, instead of mine. But with all this support, we were going to make it through just fine.
Unfortunately, there weren’t enough seats for all of us in the waiting area, especially when Zandra showed up with food from Hearthstone. Ollie stayed right by my side, and we talked quietly.
At one point, an older woman ran into the station and demanded to see Dillon and Zach.
“No, I don’t want to go to a private room,” she shouted. “An officer already came to my house and was spouting lies. I have to see Zach and Dillon.Please.”
So this was Mrs. Kirby.
Dillon had already gone back for his interview. The station wasn’t very big, and it seemed like Chief Nichols’s team was working overtime tonight.
Mrs. Kirby was going through her own personal hell, and it seemed like she was here alone. But Grace jumped up immediately, heading over to speak to her. Within a couple of minutes, she’d convinced Mrs. Kirby to go with her into another room.
Thank goodness for my little sister. She was small, but she had one of the biggest hearts I’d ever encountered.
I couldn’t imagine Mrs. Kirby would want to hear from me. If she even knew who I was, she probably didn’t have a good impression. But I could tell her that the O’Neals and the Landrys would treat her and Dillon like family too. If she was ever willing.
Piper had already accepted Dillon as her brother within the last couple hours since she’d learned the truth.
I never should’ve doubted the strength of this family’s love and acceptance. But now that I’d finally opened up to them, I knew our bond was unshakable. Just like I knew my love for Piper was infinite. The most profound thing I’d ever felt.
Listen to me, getting all philosophical.
SIXTY
Grayden
“Mr. Carmichael, you have a visitor.”
I followed the nurse into Danny’s room. He looked hopeful for a split second before his frown sank into place.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“It’s me.” I walked to his bed and held out a paper bag. Danny looked at it like I might be handing him a rattlesnake.
“What’s that?”
“Rice pudding. I brought you lunch. They said you can only eat soft foods.”
“I hate rice pudding,” he grumbled.
“Just eat it, asshole. Or I will. It has cinnamon.”
The nurse smirked at us as she checked Danny’s vitals. He reluctantly took the bag.
Danny was moving around more easily now. Supposedly he’d be released in a few days.
“Piper and Ollie are at the nurse’s station, giving out thank-you gifts for everyone taking care of you,” I said. “They should be here in a couple minutes. But I figured you and I could have a chat first.”
“I heard about what happened with Zach Kirby yesterday. The police have already been here to talk to me.”
Danny’s nurse left the room, and I went and closed the door. He took out the container of pudding and stared at it.
“If this is your way of poisoning me, it’ll be pretty obvious,” he said.
