“Your parents have been suffering for years. Put them out of their misery, Sutton. If not for them, for yourself. I don’t want you to have any more regrets in your life.
“Do you love me, Sutton?” he asked abruptly.
“You know I do,” she said achingly.
“I haven’t asked you to take his wedding ring off, and I never will, even if you have to wear mine at the same time, because you have the right to hate that son of a bitch for what he put you through. Don’t punish your parents because Scott’s not here for you to take it out on him.”
Sutton listened to Tate’s words. The truth was ugly, and she didn’t want to admit she had been blaming her parents for the mistakes she had made. They weren’t blameless, but neither had they been fully responsible for her bad decisions. There was only one person who had given Scott the power to destroy her.
Her own pride had been the cause of her destruction. She could have ran back home with Valentine, her father would have been able to protect them. He had the power to have kept Scott away, but to do that she would have had to admit to herself and them that she was powerless. The fierce independence she had fought to regain and anger over Tate, had her believing she couldn’t accept their help.
Her parents’ intentions hadn’t been evil. They had tried to break her and Tate up because they had good intentions. Both her parents and Scott had tried to control her for different purposes, and it was time she recognized the difference and finally accept them deep in her heart, because she wasn’t going to be able to change the past. Valentine wasn’t coming back.
“I don’t know if I can do this.” She stood, trembling as her mother cried harder, waiting.
Suddenly, she took off running toward her mother, who held out her arms to her. “Mama! Daddy!”
Sutton felt herself enfolded in their loving arms that had been waiting to hold her again. For the first time in years, she found the peace that had been elusive.
“We’re so sorry…” Her mother eyes were filled with sorrow.
“I should never have…” her father began.
“I shouldn’t have…”
All three of them tried to talk at the same time when no words were needed. Whoever said there was no going home hadn’t ever lived in her shoes. It had been a long, hard journey back, but her mountain blood hadn’t let her stay away.
Tate was right. Thank God she had listened to the call that had sent her home to find the peace and love that had been waiting for her return. With everything she had lost, it had taken her returning to find what she needed the most.
Tate and her parents would help her find the joy of living again. The beautiful daughter she had been able to hold onto for such a short time would be waiting until they were together again. Until then, she was going to enjoy the happiness she had been given. This time, she was going to grab on, and even if Hell on Earth opened to swallow her whole, she wouldn’t let go. She would brave the fires of Hell to keep what was hers. Even putting up with Greer would be worth it.
She felt Tate place his arm around her, giving her the support he thought she needed.
He was worth it and more. He was worth it all.
Epilogue
Tate leaned back against the hood of his truck, watching Sutton stand at the edge of the highest peak on Black Mountain. It had taken over two hours up the steep road to drive to the lookout point she wanted. It unsettled him the way she stood so close to the edge.
He crossed his arms over his chest to keep himself from reaching out to snatch her back into the safety of his arms. She hadn’t told him why she had insisted they drive here today.
It was the first day of pretty spring weather they’d had, and the trees were just beginning to bloom. When he had parked the truck, his breath had caught at the breathtaking beauty of the blooming trees and clear sky.
Sutton had silently slid out of the truck, going toward the edge of the mountain. He had sensed she had wanted to be alone, and despite his wanting to be near her, he had held back.
He saw her hands rise to her waist, sliding off the wedding band on her finger before closing it into a tight fist in the palm of her hand. He held his breath when she took a step backward then one forward, her hand rising as she threw the ring high into the air.
His eyes followed the ring into the sky before it fell, disappearing from sight. When it could no longer be seen, she turned back to face him. He straightened from the truck, holding out his arms to her, and she ran toward him, jumping into his arms, her legs circling his waist.