CHAPTER 46
DAISY
It’s crazy how much life can change in the matter of a few hours.
Less than twelve hours ago, I thought Killian hated me. I thought our marriage was over without ever really starting and I was looking up contact numbers for the nearest divorce attorney.
Now it’s twelve hours later and Killian and I have had an emotional love confession in the pouring rain, a very steamy shower, four hours sleep, multiple conversations with police, paramedics, coroners and social workers.
As expected, social services wouldn’t release the two children into our custody for the night because we aren’t family.
So, once the coroners were done at the house and the police had collected all the information they needed, Jaxon and Juliet were taken to a facility where they’ll be safe until the authorities can get in contact with a relative.
They’ve also tried getting in contact with their father, but so far, no dice.
Not that he’d be much help, anyway.
No good, loving father would ever walk away and leave his children in that cesspit of a house.
I always knew I lived a sheltered, privileged life. I came to that realisation when I became friends with Bella and saw firsthand the kind of hell she and her brother lived with day in day out.
None of it compared to what we saw tonight.
Killian has been unusually silent since we watched the kids get placed into the back of a police car, and I know somewhere deep inside; he’s blaming himself for not doing more. He’s angry at himself for not digging deeper into Jax’s life and getting more information out of him when he hired him.
He watched a young boy break tonight and he’s carrying the weight of Jax’s pain on his shoulders as if it’s his own.
I hate that were so powerless. I hate that there’s not something more we can do for them right now. The last place that those children should be is in a facility, surrounded by strangers but unfortunately our hands are tied.
The house is eerily silent as I sit at the dining table, sipping my coffee. Killian sits beside me, his own coffee long forgotten as his fingers fly across the screen of his phone. He’s barely looked up from it since we got back to his cabin an hour ago.
I place my hand on his, halting his typing and urging him to look at me. “Killian.” His exhaustion-filled eyes meet mine. “There’s nothing we can do right now.”
His shoulders drop in defeat. “It’s not right, Dais. They shouldn’t be in there.”
My heart clenches at the sheer sorrow in his voice and I stand, climbing across his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands slide up my back, to my shoulders as he clings to me like I’m his lifeline.
I say nothing as his shoulders begin to shake, allowing him to feel everything he needs to feel. I run a soothing hand through his hair, letting him know it’s okay and that I’m here whenever he’s ready.
I don’t know how long we stay like that, but when the sound of tyre’s crunching over gravel disturbs the silence, both of our heads turn to the door.
I wait for a knock, but it doesn’t come. Instead, the lock turns and the door swings open revealing Bella. Her eyes seek us out, her face falling when they find Killian and she quickly rushes inside. Noah is hot on her heels, followed by Hunter, Savannah, Grayson and Olivia.
My chest warms.
“Savannah texted us,” Olivia explains as she places down two trays of coffee on the table.
“You guys didn’t have to come,” I say, despite the gratitude I feel that they did.
I texted Savannah on the drive over to Jax’s house earlier this morning. She was on a night feed, so she had responded straight away, and I’ve been keeping her updated all through the night.
“We wanted to,” Savannah says rounding the table. I stand from Killian’s lap and step into her open arms. She pulls back quickly, keeping a grip on my arms as she looks at me. “What can we do?”
I exhale a long breath. “There’s not a lot we can do. CPS are working on finding a relative, but until then it’s looking like they’ll be placed with a temporary foster family.”
Everyone takes a seat around the table and Bella takes Killian’s hand in his. “Are you okay?” she asks him quietly.
He gives her a nod and a tight-lipped smile. “I’m good, Bells.”
Noah watches the siblings with a faraway look in his eyes, his finger tapping against the table thoughtfully as he chews on his bottom lip.
“Are you allowed to see them?” Savannah asks as she unclips Crue from his carrier.
Killian shrugs. “I’m not sure. I’m waiting for a call from the social worker.”
“You said they’re being placed with a foster family?” Noah asks and all eyes swing to him.
“Yeah,” Killian answers.
Noah looks at Hunter and then Grayson, whose eyes both widen with recognition, something passing between the three brothers. Hunter dips his head in a nod at Noah, and he turns back to Killian, clearing his throat.
Killian’s eyes bounce between the three of them, his brows dipped low. “What?”
“When we were kids, you spent a lot of time at our house,” Noah says slowly, cautiously.
“Yeah?” Killian draws the word out like a question.
“Well, my mom used to listen in on our conversations sometimes. I didn’t know about it at the time, but she heard you telling me about your mom and the things that were happening at home. She came to me when we were around fifteen and asked how I would feel if she adopted you.”
Everyone’s eyes, save from the three Calloway’s, widen slightly. Killian leans forward, his gaze flicking between all three of them. “What?”
“Her and my dad got their foster license and reported your mom to Child Protective Services for neglect. They were going to step in and foster the both of you.” Noah looks between Killian and Bella.
“But instead of showing up unannounced, CPS arranged a home visit with your mom,” Noah trails off, looking at Killian expectantly.
Killian continues to frown at him; his face contorted with confusion as he waits for Noah to explain himself.
“Which gave her a chance to sober up and clean up her shit before they got there,” Bella fills in the blanks. “I remember exactly when you’re talking about.”
Killian slumps back in his chair, nodding as if he’s just now recalling the same memory as his sister.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Liv asks from her spot on Grayson’s lap.
“Our parents have a foster license,” Grayson answers.
“Would they be willing to foster Jax and Juliet?” Killian asks. His brow is still furrowed but the slightest bit of hope shines in his eyes.
“They’re already on their way down there to put in an application,” Noah informs us.
Relief flashes through me and a boulder of emotion lodges itself in my throat. All the breath rushes out of Killian in one long exhale, and his entire body deflates as his pent-up worry lessens.
“Did you know about this?” Savannah asks Hunter, her hand smoothing up and down her baby’s back as she burps him.
“I knew about the foster license, but I didn’t know they were planning on putting in an application, no.”
“Well, shit,” Killian breathes out a laugh. He runs a hand through his mussed-up hair. “I can’t believe they planned to adopt us.”
“Yeah. I would’ve had to put up with all four of you,” Bella says with a shiver.
“Hey. Not all of us are as disgusting as Noah,” Hunter chimes in with a wink.
We all chuckle, the mood in the room a lot lighter now that there’s an actual plan in motion. Killian reaches out, his long fingers wrapping around the edge of my chair as he pulls me toward him.
He leans in, placing a soft, lingering kiss on my mouth and I cup his jaw, smiling up at him.
“I love you, angel. Thank you,” he whispers against my mouth.
“I love you, too,” I breathe, getting lost in his grey-blue pools. “But I didn’t do anything.”
“You did a lot more than you think.”
A throat clears, shattering the moment we had fallen into and we pull apart. Every eye in the room is on us as we turn back to the group and Bella practically bounces in her chair.
“So, um… what’s going on here?” Noah asks, waving a hand between Killian and me.
“We haven’t discussed it,” I say at the same time as Killian says, “We’re back together.”
His head swings to me, that frown back on his handsome face. “We’re back together.”
My cheeks heat at the authority in his tone, but my heart softens when I see the genuine fear evident on his face.
It’s understandable that he would be afraid.
I don’t exactly have a great track record for sticking around.
There’s also a lot still hanging between us that needs to be addressed, but as I look at my husband, at the way he blinks at me as he waits for me to offer him some kind of reassurance, none of that matters.
I lean over, pressing my mouth against his before turning back to the room. “We’re back together.”
“It’s about fucking time.” Noah bangs a hand against the table.
“I’m so happy for you two,” Savannah says.
“Will we finally get an Ashby wedding?” Bella asks and everyone else dissolves into laughter.
“One thing at a time, yeah, Bells?” Killian says wrapping his arm around his baby sister and pulling her into him.
She returns his embrace, smiling at me over his shoulder. “I’m really happy for you.”
Yeah. I’m really happy for me, too.