Page 78 of Her Courage

Safe.

Kaleb was out of the car before Oscar fully stopped, running toward his sister and niece. Mikhail let Sierra go and she met him halfway, all three of them collapsing into a sobbing heap of relief and joy.

Monica stood to the side, her arms wrapped around herself. I approached her slowly.

"She's okay," I said softly.

Monica nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Thanks to you. All of you."

"Thanks to your brother," I corrected. "He never gave up."

"Neither did you." Monica's eyes met mine. "You kept him grounded when he wanted to fall apart. That's... that's what family does."

The word—family—kept coming up. Over and over, binding us together.

I glanced back at the Audi, where Andrei and Colby stood watching. Andrei's expression was softer than I'd ever seen it. Colby had his arm around Andrei's shoulders.

My family. My weird, wonderful, complicated family.

And we'd just survived our darkest challenge yet.

Together.

Just like we'd promised.

Chapter Thirty-Five

KALEB

The holding cell reeked of stale sweat, industrial cleaner, and desperation. I stood outside the reinforced glass, watching the woman who'd given birth to me pace like a caged animal.

Patrice looked... diminished. Her designer clothes were rumpled, makeup smeared, hair disheveled. The carefully constructed mask of sophistication had cracked, revealing the ugliness beneath.

Lottie had wanted to come with me. Begged, actually, those storm-blue eyes pleading as she gripped my hand.

"No," I'd said firmly, cupping her cheek. "I don't want her poison touching you again, baby girl. This is something I need to do alone."

That wasn't entirely true. Marshall stood beside me now, his leather briefcase in hand, his expression professionally neutral. But I could see the disgust flickering in his light green eyes as he watched Patrice through the glass.

Sergeant Davies, Marshall's friend on the force, approached from down the corridor. "Mr. Wulf. Mr. Caine. You sure you want to do this?"

I nodded. "I need to see her. Need to..." What? Say goodbye? Tell her what a monster she'd become? I wasn't even sure anymore.

Davies punched in the security code. The door buzzed open with a harsh electronic sound.

Patrice whirled at the noise, her face transforming when she saw me. For a split second, something almost human flickered across her features—hope, maybe, or relief.

Then her expression twisted into pure venom.

"Come to gloat?" she spat, stalking toward the glass partition that separated us. "Come to see your mother locked up like a common criminal?"

I settled into the metal chair across from her, Marshall standing slightly behind me like a silent sentinel. "You kidnapped a two-year-old, Patrice. That's about as common a crime as it gets."

"Don't call me that." Her hands slammed against the plexiglass. "I'm your mother."

"No." The word came out calm. Final. "You stopped being my mother the day you chose Rupert's money over your own children."

Her laugh was harsh, brittle. "Oh, please. Don't act like you're some wounded victim, Kaleb. You had everything handed to you. The company. The trust fund. Your father's precious legacy."