Fuck.
Just fuck.
I closed my eyes.
He must’ve felt so alone.
“I would’ve been there every fuckin’ day if I’d known. And so would your sister.” I waited. “And your dad.”
That’s when I saw pain flash across Jasper’s eyes.
He knew about his father.
Knew how he died.
And like me, he didn’t like it.
Not one bit.
“Let’s go,” I whispered. “This needs to be right.”
She needed to know.
And though it would be a surprise, it would be a very good one.
The men in the room with me were silent as we left, having not said a single word since Jasper had arrived.
Which I was thankful for.
When we arrived at the opposite side of the building where Sophia had taken up, it was to find my daughter outside drinking a beer.
I would’ve laughed had I not been in shock.
“You can’t see her!” Clementine argued, barring the door with her body.
I shook my head, feeling my throat work. “Honey, I need to see her.”
Clem, sensing something wrong, frowned.
She stepped sideways out of the way and looked toward the figure standing farther down the hall.
Her face went confused for a few seconds before recognition hit. “Is that that singer that burned up in that explosion?”
I felt my throat constrict.
“Come with me. I’ll explain.” I paused. “But give us some space. You can listen from the door. I want everyone else out of the room.”
I wasn’t sure who all was in there, but I wasn’t chancing anything.
I wasn’t sure how she would react.
And I wanted to make sure that she had the privacy to do what she needed.
Clem got everyone cleared out, which wasn’t very many people. Trista, Murphy’s wife Mavis, and Fran, Taos’ wife.
Once they were gone, I walked inside to see Sophia standing there, looking confused.
“Baby.”
Sophia, who was standing in her bustier, garters, and white lacy panties, whirled around.
Her face showed a mask of shock before she grinned hugely and threw herself at me. “You came like I asked.”
I hadn’t planned on it.
There weren’t many ‘traditions’ that I upheld anymore. But not seeing her before the wedding, which had always been something that I hadn’t cared about with Trista, was something I planned on not doing.
I wanted to make sure that I did everything right with Sophia, whether it bothered the hell out of me or not.
Her tiny body fit inside the shelter of my arms so completely that I didn’t want to push her away and rock her world.
But I was going to do it anyway.
“Listen to me,” I said gruffly, pushing her away so that I could grasp her face. “I need you to put something on so you can listen.”
She frowned but nodded with her face still in my hands.
When I let her go, she walked to the chair that was closest to her and snatched up a button-down dress shirt.
Mine.
I grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes.
Once she was clothed, she turned and crossed her arms, pulling them tightly to her chest. “Tell me.”
I swallowed hard, and then said, “Your brother is alive.”
Her eyes narrowed and her cheeks went red with heat.
“Haggard…” she hissed.
I held up a placating hand and then explained everything.
She was hyperventilating by the time she finished listening. “Where is he?”
“Hallway.”
I hadn’t even gotten the entire word out before she was letting out a cry—a wail that would remain with me for the rest of my life—and launched herself out the door.
When I got to the hallway, it was to see her brother wrapping her up in his arms, and my girl crying her makeup off.
“I can’t believe this,” she whispered into her brother’s chest. “I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. And now here you are.”
I looked at my daughter, who was crying silent tears, and pulled her into my arms.
“God, what a miracle.”
Harlow, who was smiling behind them with her hands covering her face, made eye contact with me.
And I could see that she was of the same mind.
A miracle indeed.
I married her.
With Jasper walking her down the aisle instead of Murphy.
With her brother standing by her side, along with Clem.
With the most happiness on her face since the accident.
I married her. I made her mine.
And then we kissed.
Afterward, I’d given her the cut that declared her as mine.
And now she was wearing it over her wedding dress in the middle of hundreds of people that were there to celebrate our new marriage.
I was so lost, just watching her, that I didn’t realize Jasper had made his way to the front until I heard him speak.
Jasper’s raspy voice filled the speakers from where he spoke into the microphone. “Sometimes, we can’t let go of the things that make us sad. Because those are also the things that make us happy.”
I made my way to my woman just as a squeak of sound left her throat, and I pulled her into my body.