“She’s…fine.”Nash paused to rub a hand over his neck.“Listen.That shit with Addy—that ain’t new.You’re just her latest target.”His voice dropped.“And if I’m bein’ honest?She’s madder than usual ’cause it’s you.”
His hand tightened on the doorframe, then eased.His gaze hardened.“Cas, about what she said—”
“Don’t.”Her sharp reply cut through the room.“I’ve been to half the pawnshops in the state tryin’ to get pieces of my family back.I don’t want to fight or…” She swallowed.“Just—not tonight.”
“You should’ve told me,” he ground out.“I deserved to know.”
Cassie looked away, nostrils flaring.“I know.But—”
“But,” he cut in, stepping into the room and pulling the door shut behind him.“I get why you didn’t.”
Surprise shut her right up.She tried to form words—a thought, anything that wasn’t just shock sitting heavy in her throat.
“I woulda never let you go,” he said, even quieter now.“To the clinic.To college.I woulda forced you to keep a kid neither of us were ready for…” He trailed off with a sharp shrug.“Just to keep you here.”
The brutal honesty of it knocked the breath from her—she sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed her palms to her thighs.
“That’s…” She let out a humorless laugh and shook her head.“That’s disturbingly self-aware of you.”
“Ain’t always as stupid as you think I am,” he muttered.“Hell, I woulda never had Junie if me and you…stayed together.”His gaze moved to the door, like he could see her through it.“Much as I’d love to dropkick Addy off a cliff most days, that kid is…”
He didn’t finish.He didn’t have to.His love for his daughter was written all over him.
“For the record,” she said softly, “I don’t think you’re stupid—just stubborn as hell.”
“That so?”Nash’s mouth twitched.“You know, that might be the nicest thing you ever said to me.”
She returned his smirk.“Don’t get used to it.”
“Wouldn’t dare—I know who I’m talkin’ to.”
“You implyin’ I’m mean?”
“Mean?”he echoed.“You’re a holy fuckin’ terror, and you damn well know it.”
“I don’t know what that makes you, then,” she replied with a huff, “seein’ as you seem to really enjoy bein’ terrorized by me.”
Nash shifted forward, coming to stand over her.Nudging her knees apart with his, he stepped in close.“Ain’t that the fuckin’ truth,” he said quietly.
They held each other’s gaze, heat curling low in her belly.But, Jesus, she wasn’t about to jump him in Margie’s spare bedroom…especially not with Junie downstairs.
Clearing her throat, she reached for the nearest bag and dragged it forward.“You’re gonna want to see what I found.”
Nash’s focus dropped to the bag; backing off, he sat down beside her, watching as she eased the carefully wrapped clock free.
“First place we stopped,” she told him, peeling the paper back, “my family’s clock was hanging right there on the wall.Guy tried to tell me it was carved by Mennonites…” A short laugh slipped out of her.
“Look at that.”Nash ran his hand along the detailing at the top.“At the risk of soundin’ like my old man…they just don’t make shit like they used to.”
Murmuring in agreement, Cassie set it aside and grabbed another bag.One by one, she began laying things out on the bedspread: Connor’s leather jacket—heavy and worn, still in good condition.A solid silver belt buckle, filigreed and gaudy as hell.
“Hideous,” she said with a small laugh.“I made fun of him whenever he wore it.”
“We all did,” Nash added.“’Til realizin’ it just made him wear it more.”
Next came a large leather sheath.Nash took it from her before she could say a word, drawing the titanium blade just enough to reveal the Kings of Anarchy emblem—and Connor’s initials etched beneath.His gaze stayed on the knife like he was seeing something only he could see.
“Keep it,” Cassie said.
