47
After my interrogation—that might not have been an interrogation but still kind of was—I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I have a warm body pressed up against me. I crack open and eye, squinting from the bright white lights above me to find a head of thick wavy brown hair resting on my shoulder.
I smile.
Kit .
I glance over the top of his head to find his dad watching us, his eyes so full of love as they slide off the boy tucked against my side to meet my own.
I know all he’s ever wanted is a mother figure for Kit and I hope I can be that for him. I love this boy with all my heart.
I rest my arm over his body and he stirs. He rubs at his eyes with the back of his hands as the haze of sleep wears off. When he remembers where he is, his head snaps up to me, his mouth stretches into a grin. “Allie!”
He throws his arms around my neck. “Are you okay, Allie? I was so scared.”
I hold him close to me, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, my heart swelling. “I’m absolutely fine, buddy. I promise.”
“I brought you your lion, figured you might need it.” He points to the stuffed toy on the opposite side of the bed beside my hip.
“Thank you, Kit.”
“Hey! We can be besties now, we both survived getting shot!”
I smile. “Yeah, we sure did.”
“And please for my sake, try not to make a habit out of it, yeah? Either of you,” Myles adds.
“I’m a cop, remember? No promises.”
“I uh, didn’t know whether you wanted me to call Kate and Jeremy or leave it to you.”
“I’ll call them later and explain everything. I don’t want them to worry.” Kate is going to freak when I tell her about my mom.
The door swings open and a young nurse walks in. “Ah! You’re awake. How are you feeling, Miss Adams?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Any pain?”
“A few twinges here and there.”
“We’ll see what we can do to manage the pain,” she says before turning to Myles. “The doctor will want to come and do some tests shortly, you’re welcome to wait outside.”
She rounds the side of the bed and begins fiddling with one of the IV drips next to me.
Myles stands, resting a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Come on, bud.”
Kit squeezes me tighter. “But I don’t wanna go.”
“You can come see me later, I’ll be fine. I’m not going anywhere,” I assure him.
Kit’s shoulders sink. “Okay.” Before he slides off the bed, he pecks a kiss to my cheek. “Love you.”
I hold back the sob that lodges in my throat. “Love you too, buddy.”
I watch the two of them leave as the nurse picks up my file hanging off the foot of the bed, scribbling something down.
“Your son is adorable,” the nurse gushes, peering up at me over the top of the clipboard in her hand.
I smile, not bothering to correct her. “Yeah, he is.”
“I’ll go fetch the doctor. Won’t be long.”
She’s only gone for less than a minute before there’s a knock at the door and Drew steps into the room.
“Hey,” I say softly, doing my best to sit up but failing miserably, pain shooting through my midsection.
“Hey.” He thrusts his hands into the pockets of his jeans, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I uh… don’t wanna disturb you for too long, I just wanted to check in on you.”
“You’re not disturbing me at all. It’s good to see you. Come, sit.” I gesture to the chair beside my bed and he takes it. “I can’t thank you enough for what you did, going against Tobias to save me and mom.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m sorry it took me so long to realise how poisonous Tobias was. I always knew mom and my uncle had a strained relationship, I just didn’t realise what was really going on, he hid it well and so did mom.”
“To protect you,” I add. “She did it to protect you. Do you really think Tobias would’ve let you just walk away had you learned the truth sooner? He’d have done everything and anything to keep you. God knows what he’d have done to her had she told you the truth.”
“I’m just sorry for my part in any of it. To say I’m ashamed is…” He dips his head.
I reach over to take his hand. “You’re here now, that’s what matters. You know, I always wondered what it’d be like to have a brother or a sister. I guess now I can find out, right?”
His eyes lift and he smiles. For a split-second it’s like looking at a younger version of my dad. They have the same shaped mouth, a deep Cupid’s bow and a plump lower lip. “God, I can see so much of dad in you.”
His brows lift. “Yeah?”
I nod. “I’ll tell you about him some time, if you want?”
“I’d love that.”
“He’d have been so proud of you for what you did, you know?”
He takes me by surprise when he closes the small distance between us. He hesitates for a moment before leaning down and wrapping me in a hug. It’s stiff and a little awkward but nonetheless, it feels good. The tiny hole in my heart that’s been there ever since my life was ripped apart when I was a child is slowly sealing shut. I have my mom back, and now I have a brother.
He pulls back and smiles. “I’ll let you get some rest.” Rising to his feet, he heads for the door but stops to look back at me. “Could you uh… maybe put in a good word for me with your boyfriend? I still don’t think he likes me all that much.”
I laugh, wincing from the pain in my abdomen. “Of course I will.”
“I’m really looking forward to getting to know my sister.”
“Me too.”
Tears prickle in my eyes as I watch him leave. Once the door clicks shut, emotion overwhelms me and I can’t hold back the flood of tears that fall.