She breathed a sigh of relief when the plane taxied to the small FBO building where her parents would be waiting to drive her home. Oh, please let her keep it together, at least until Silas and Maddox said good-bye and climbed on the plane to return to New York. Then and only then would she allow herself to cry in her mother’s arms. She wouldn’t humiliate herself more than she already had by losing it in front of Drake’s men. Her pride had already suffered irreparable damage when she’d begged Drake on her knees, in front of his men, begged him to believe her, to listen to her. Oh, how she’d begged, only for her pleas to fall on deaf ears. She might as well have been talking to stone because that was what Drake had become the moment the asshole cop had wrongly named her their informant.
Tears burned like acid and she clenched her teeth, refusing to break down, refusing to fall apart in front of Silas and Maddox.
“Evangeline,” Maddox said in a quiet, somber tone.
She turned her head, her gaze briefly skittering over his face before she focused on a point beyond his right shoulder.
“We’re here, sweetheart. Your parents are waiting just outside for you.”
When she would have risen, Silas was there, his hand curling underneath her elbow to help her up. He and Maddox assisted her down the stairway that had been pushed to the plane door.
Her parents stood a few feet away, but Maddox motioned them to give him, Evangeline and Silas just a moment. Her father nodded from his wheelchair, his lips pressed tightly together as he critically surveyed his daughter’s appearance.
She knew she looked a wreck, but why lie by disguising all signs of her devastation? She’d just ruin her makeup and hairdo the minute she cried all over her mother.
Maddox took one of her hands, holding it loosely between his own, and expelled a deep sigh that was surprisingly sad sounding.
“Evangeline, look at me,” he said gently.
She closed her eyes, tears pricking the corners. Oh God. She couldn’t do this.
“Babe, look at me, please? Can you not even look at me? Are you so angry with us too?”
The words sounded raw with pain and regret, apology in his voice. Her eyes flew open and immediately found his.
“No!” she denied forcefully.
She glanced at Silas to see if he also assumed she was angry with him. His expression was unreadable. Except . . . his eyes. They looked pained. Raw. Exposed. It shocked her because he was always so inscrutable.
“This is hard,” Evangeline choked out, momentarily squeezing Maddox’s hand.
“I know,” Maddox murmured. “Come, give me a hug. Your parents are anxious to greet you and your mother wants to fuss over you.”
She threw herself into Maddox’s arms and despite her vow not to cry, hot tears trailed down her cheeks as she absorbed the solid strength of Maddox’s embrace.
“You and Silas are the dearest friends I’ve ever had,” she whispered. “I’ll never forget you or your kindness. And your support. It means the world to me.”
Maddox pressed a tender kiss to her hair as he pulled away. Then he trailed his finger down her wet cheek, pushing a damp strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You are a remarkable woman, Evangeline. I’m grateful to have known you.”
She gave him a shaky smile before he nudged her in Silas’s direction.
“There’s someone else who would like to say good-bye,” Maddox murmured.
Evangeline took one hesitant step and then another. And then Silas simply opened his arms and she threw herself forward into his crushing embrace. His arms were like steel bands around her, and he shook as he hugged her fiercely.
“I’ll miss you so much,” she choked out.
“I’ll miss you, doll,” he said in a voice thick with emotion. “Take care of yourself and the little one.”
Then he drew away and tipped her chin up with his fingers until she looked directly into his eyes.
“If you ever need anything. If you just want to hear a friendly voice or just need to talk, you have my number. You get me?”
She nodded, tears sliding unchecked down her face. She glanced down and the flash of the diamond ring Drake had given her caught her eye and then blurred when more tears flooded her eyes.
Her engagement ring. Her very last material tie to Drake. She’d forgotten all about it. Slowly she slid it from her finger. She didn’t need it. She had her baby and it was all the reminder of Drake she’d ever need.
She held the ring out to Silas, her voice cracking when she spoke. “Give this back to Drake, please.”
“Any message?” Silas asked softly.
She shook her head. “There’s nothing to say,” she said sadly.
“Take care, doll. Maddox and I are only a phone call away. Remember that.”