Chapter 13 #2
“You know the rest of the story from there. Looking back, she must have known she was pregnant. She wanted to protect her children.”
Cam put a hand on his thigh. “Including you, by the sound of it.”
Nic swallowed hard and threaded their fingers together, struggling with the memory of one of the worst days of his life. “I finally argued with him that day. Long and loud enough that I got a broken jaw for it. But at least Victoria and Garrett, and Lette it turns out, got away.”
Cam squeezed his hand. “I just have one question.”
A short bark of laughter escaped Nic’s lips, and Cam bumped his knee, smiling. He lowered his other hand on top of Nic’s, holding tight. “Why is any of this a regret, baby? Or a mess? That’s what you told me the tattoo on your back was about, but I don’t get it.”
Nic held tighter, nearly cutting off the circulation in Cam’s hand.
“If I’d held myself back from Garrett, not fallen in love with him, hell, with them and the idea of a real family, or if I’d left sooner, or if I’d called the cops instead of angering Dad more, then maybe they could have stayed and Curtis would have been the one to leave.
Maybe we could have made it work—Garrett playing football at San Jose State, me on an academic scholarship at Cal, Victoria getting her business back up and running.
But I forced the situation. I forced them to flee.
Garrett turned down a full ride to college, Victoria turned her back on her business and hometown, and now, knowing she was pregnant too .
. . I forced them to leave the only place they’d ever known with nothing.
” Pain and regret tore across his face, tugging at the corners of his eyes and mouth, before he looked away.
Cam’s heart wanted to beat out of his chest again.
Wanted to wrap this man in all the love and kindness he deserved, shield him from taking on the blame he didn’t deserve, and make him understand the love he had to offer was not a curse in any way, shape, or form.
It was not something to be ashamed of or regret.
Heart trapped behind his ribs, he settled for reaching out and grasping Nic’s chin, bringing his face back around.
“No, Dominic, love is never a mistake, especially not yours. And be honest with yourself, your father was growing more abusive, even before he found out about you and Garrett. Would you have wanted them there without you? With only your father? And what would have happened to you if you’d stood up sooner?
How many more punches would you have taken or Victoria or Garrett for you?
What would the cops have done if you’d reported your father?
A wealthy, well-connected local businessman.
You’ve worked these cases; you know how limited the options are.
And you know they’re about the abuser, not the abused or the others in their life, though the abuser makes them think it is. Just like you’re doing.”
Nic jerked against his hold, the instinct to turn away and hide the truth in his eyes.
“Exactly.” Letting Nic’s chin go, Cam glided his hand up to his cheek. “You left behind your whole life too, baby. Don’t discount that, the sacrifice you made. And in doing so, you saved them and yourself.”
Nic nuzzled against his palm. “That’s what Mary says.”
“Because that woman is smarter than the both of us.” He brushed his thumb over Nic’s clean-shaven cheek. “Okay, now that we’ve dealt with the past, how do you want to deal with the present?”
“My top priority is keeping the Sares safe. We get Vaughn indicted and locked up, then I’ll deal with the estate and my new insta-family.”
“You have a sister.”
“Not how I imagined this morning would go.”
“I suspect not, but this is good news.” At Nic’s quirked brow, he chuckled a little, adding, “Present circumstances notwithstanding. Tell me about her.”
Nic gave him the highlights of the conversation he’d shared with Lette, his features far more revealing than his words.
The morning’s tension faded from his frame as he described how his sister’s resembled his own.
His face lit with pride as he recounted her acceptance into art school.
Hope melted the ice in his eyes as he revealed she carried his class ring with her, that she and her mother had tried to see him multiple times on base, that Lette wanted to know him better and was interviewing for jobs out here.
Cam’s heart cheered for his lover. Family was important, he knew that better than anyone.
But doubts continued to simmer in his belly.
Low-level enough to ignore, but they were still there.
What did this mean for their future? Was there room for him in Nic’s new insta-family?
Questions for another time. He needed to be here for Nic; they’d worry about family and the future later, when the possibility of both were secure.
When Nic was done, and Cam had assured him he was doing everything a brother should, he stole a quick kiss on his way to standing. “All right, let’s go talk to Lauren. See what other evidence she’s found, and if it’s enough for indictments.”
“It better be. I already called the grand jury for tomorrow morning.”
Cam grinned. “Now there’s the overly confident Dominic Price I know and love.”
Eyes blazing, Nic grabbed his tie and yanked him closer, nose to nose. “There is one thing I stand corrected about. You, Cameron Patrick Byrne, are the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.”
The kiss Nic laid on him chased away Cam’s doubts. For now.