Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
WALKINS GLEN, ALABAMA
“No word from your team yet?” Beckett asked Jesse.
“They’re infiltrating the compound at nightfall,” Jesse shared from behind the wheel of his Dodge Ram as they neared the Hawkins Ranch. “I’m sure Sydney will call you as soon as the op wraps up.”
“And they’ll be okay without you?”
“They’ll be fine. I’m needed here.” Jesse tossed him a quick look before asking, “What can I do to help make today easier for you?”
“I don’t think anything will make it easier.” Beckett opened the vanity mirror to check out the damage Miguel and his assholes had done to his face. He didn’t want to scare McKenna. But instead of catching sight of his reflection, he spied Miles in his car seat.
The boy, a spitting image of Cora with his dark hair, eyes, and dimples, stared at him with a sad expression while clutching the teddy bear Emily had bought him at the airport in Santiago. They’d all taken the same flight to Miami, then Liam, Emily, and Elaina flew home to D.C. while Beckett, Jesse, and Miles caught a flight to Birmingham.
“I didn’t tell anyone about the boy, like you asked,” Jesse said. Beckett had yet to grieve Cora’s loss. He wasn’t sure when her death would genuinely hit him, but he had to get through today first. Face his daughter and share the truth about her mom. Tell his family that with Gray’s government contacts, he’d be expediting the process to adopt Miles.
Miles and McKenna Hawkins. My children. His eyes fell to his hand, finding it trembling on his jeaned thigh.
There was no way he’d separate McKenna from her brother or place Miles in foster care in Chile or the U.S.
He released a shaky breath. “You said Ella took a half-day today?”
“Yeah, and she texted me thirty minutes ago that she picked up McKenna early from school. Everyone’s at your family’s ranch.” Jesse turned down the back road that would have them there within minutes.
“Will McKenna hate me for not sharing the real story about her mom?” Beckett squeezed his hands into fists, his nerves getting to him. The idea of causing his daughter any type of pain was too much to handle.
“I think McKenna will be sad to learn what happened,” Jesse said, glancing in the rearview mirror, “but she has a brother to focus on now. That girl has a huge heart, and she’ll do her damnedest to comfort him and make him part of the family.”
God bless her. She was nothing like Cora on the inside. But her looks? Yeah, they were all her mom. McKenna would spot those similarities when seeing her brother today too.
“Here we go,” Jesse said at the sight of the Hawkins Ranch sign. “You’ve got this. And I’ve got your back.”
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.” Beckett’s voice caught with emotion this time, and his pulse raced the second his parents’ house came into view.
Ella’s and Savanna’s cars were parked out front. His brothers, Shep and Caleb, were there too.
He looked back at Miles once Jesse parked and unbuckled. “ ?Estás bien? Are you okay?” Miles quietly clutched his bear, his eyes darting every which way to take in the property. “Your sister’s here,” he added. “Would you like to meet her? Tu hermana . McKenna. She’s my daughter.” He pointed a finger at Miles, then at his own chest. “ Somos familia . We’re family.”
This caught his attention and Miles locked his gaze on Beckett. “ Familia? ”
Beckett nodded. “ Soy tu familia ahora .” Fuck, he was going to cry. Why the hell now? He did his best to pull himself together as he repeated in English, “We’re family now.”
“Mi familia ,” Miles said in such a small voice that Beckett would’ve collapsed if he weren’t already sitting.
“You’ve got this.” Jesse nodded. “And there’s my wife, so I’m going out there.” Jesse’s feet had no sooner hit the ground than Ella was in his arms, her legs wrapped around his hips and kissing him.
Love. Beckett wanted that. Now more than ever. But there was only one woman he wanted it with. Although they’d both been drugged, he recalled Sydney’s words back in that freaky sex room. I think I could love you.
“ ?Listo? Ready?” he asked Miles, then hopped out of the truck. Before he could open the back door, Ella was at his side.
“How about no more boys’ trips for a bit?” Ella went to hug him but froze, her arms mid-reach. She’d spotted Miles.
Beckett tore his focus away from his sister when he noticed McKenna on the porch, a hand over her mouth, clearly fighting back tears.
“Jesse, can you help him out?” Beckett rasped before moving as fast as his legs would carry him. Meeting McKenna halfway, she threw her arms around him. To hell with his injuries, he’d take the pain from her tight embrace all day long. “Sweet girl,” he said, holding her head to his chest.
Beckett looked up to see his parents, brothers, and Griffin’s wife, Savanna, filling the porch, their attention fixed beyond where Beckett stood.
Miles was in the spotlight now.
Beckett finally let go of his daughter, and they both swiped the tears from their faces.
“Who is that?” McKenna pointed to Miles.
Beckett took a deep breath, reached for her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll introduce you.” When they neared and Beckett heard Ella talking to Miles in her soothing teacher voice, he knew he’d be relying on his sister yet again. She’d always been there for him with McKenna, but what if . . . what if Sydney . . .
He shook the thought from his mind to focus on the present situation. Introducing his daughter to her brother.
“McKenna, this is Miles.” He exhaled a shaky breath. “Um.”
“He’s my brother,” McKenna said, beating him to it. “Right?” She placed a hand over her heart, and tears filled her eyes again. “I can feel it. I—I just know.” She looked at her dad. “He’s why Elaina . . .”
Beckett nodded, overwhelmed by emotions.
“She’s gone, isn’t she? My mom?” McKenna asked, nearly choking on her words as she said them.
“Yeah,” Beckett whispered.
McKenna blinked back some of her tears and held her head high. So strong. Tough. A Hawkins woman. She knelt before Miles and offered her hand. “I’m your sister. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Miles’s eyes grew wide, the bear falling to the ground as he threw himself into her arms. McKenna let out a laugh when he nearly knocked her over.
The sob Beckett had held at bay since holding Cora’s lifeless body in his arms yesterday tore free, and he fell to his knees alongside his family and cried.