“I am.”
“Why did you come?” She came up on her elbow so she could look him in the face. “Or maybe I should be asking…why did you stay away for so long?”
“I only stayed away because I thought I didn’t deserve you.”
She smirked. “What? You don’t think you’ve done anything bad enough?”
“You’re perfect.”
“Hell, no I’m not. So, what changed your mind?”
How could he explain it? He’d stayed in Uganda—alone, once Christa and Jake had left. He’d needed the space and the time to think. Mostly bad things about himself. He’d failed Leila and his role as head Guardian. His vow to Jonas, who had been a father to him was broken. The mission was in ruins. And he’d failed Kaitlin and the rest of the Kindred.
Then he’d spent the night by the pool where he’d made love to Kaitlin, and he’d dreamed of her. Of a future where they were together. And the world was a better place.
It had felt so real. For a moment, he’d thought that maybe he was developing Sadie’s prescience, seeing a possible future for himself and Kaitlin. But he’d known, deep down, that it had only been a dream. They had no future, except for the next few days. And he could stay and die alone, or he could go and spend that time with the woman he loved.
The mission was over. But more than that, he’d finally accepted that it had never really existed as he had believed it to exist. It had never been some sacred pre-destined duty that would save mankind. No, it had just been a paid job that hadgone wrong so long ago that the truth had been forgotten, and its purpose twisted and reshaped.
He might not have been wholly right—and his motives may have been slanted by his love of Kaitlin. But Leila had been wrong—wrong to blindly follow a course of action just because that was the way things had always been.
If he could have another chance to do things over, he still wouldn’t have sided with Leila. Not just because he wanted a life with the woman he loved, but because the mission was nothing but a fucked-up mess.
No doubt this was how someone brought up with religion felt when they finally discovered that God wasn’t real. It was a lot to wrap your head around.
So, he’d fucked up and let Kaitlin down.
But he was here now.
“Kane?”
“I accepted that Leila was wrong. But she would never have admitted that and so she died. Died for a faith I no longer believed in.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I. But neither she nor Brandon would have ever given in.”
“But you did.”
“I had a completely different life. They’d never left the valley. They hadn’t seen the world. The mission was everything to them.”
“But not to you.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “No. I realized you mean everything to me. We have to put our faith in the people we love. People are what matter. Anyway, I realized I didn’t want to die alone.”
She punched his shoulder. “We’re not going to die.”
“I believe you. But when I left Uganda, I didn’t know about the asteroid. We had nothing. And I was certain you weren’t going to give up trying. Death seemed a likely outcome.”
“I’ll save you.”
“I know. If anyone can save the world, it’s you.”
“I’m not convinced of that, but together, we can try. I’m glad you came.Reallyglad.”
She trailed a hand over the skin of his thigh and his dick jerked under her touch. That drew her attention, and she wriggled down the bed so she could take a better look.
“That is really impressive,” she murmured.
