“And I know that,” she said, pausing before she added, “Now.”
“I’m sorry –” I started before she cut me off with a low growl.
“Nope. You don’t owe me an apology, Dom. The shit I did was on me. I made bad choices. Thought I knew it all.” She snorted. “Never make life decisions when you’re a teenager.”
“Are you talking about Jess?” I asked, my own worries coming to the surface. She gave me a started look before a peal of laughter erupted from her.
“Jess? Hell, no. That girl has no problem saying what she thinks,” she managed to get out as she laughed at me. “Or knowing what she wants. You’re a lucky guy.”
“So I’ve heard,” I muttered, relaxing back in the seat as one of my concerns was laid to rest. “I don’t want to push her into something she doesn’t want, but at the same time, I can’t imagine losing her.” My hand went to my chest again where the mark she’d left over my heart burned. “It would destroy me.”
Sam took my hand in her own, “Trust me, she feels the same about you.” She patted my hand. “My advice, give her time.” She paused. “But not too much time. Tell her how you feel. Don’t let stupid pride or someone else’s agenda change your mind.”
I glanced at her and she flushed.
“Speaking from experience I take it.”
“I made some choices that’ll I’ll regret for the rest of my life,” she admitted. “Don’t do that. Fight for the things you cherish and don’t let them go easily.”
“I regret not going after you.”
She squeezed my hand, swallowing hard as she admitted softly, “I’m glad you didn’t. It would have been a death sentence.”
“Caleb spoke at the meeting tonight,” I told her and she made a noncommittal sound. “It was….heartfelt.”
“I worry about him. Talk about too much responsibility as a teenager.” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Not to speak ill of the dead, but his dad was an ass.”
“I think that’s exactly what speaking ill of the dead means, Sam.”
“Yeah, well, the truth hurts.”
“You have a right to hate him.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t hate him. He was just wrong and it hurt Payne. Things could have been different.”
“You wouldn’t have Nicky,” I reminded her and she smiled.
“I wouldn’t trade him for anything.” She wiggled on the seat making us sway and I used my foot to hold us steady. “He gave me the strength to leave. I couldn’t let him grow up that way.”
“You helped a lot of women and children,” I stated, thinking about their arrival at the motel right after the Hanleys killed Caleb’s dad. Seeing my sister and nephew, knowing they were safe had unlocked a part of me I’d thought was gone.
“I want to keep helping them,” she confessed, her gaze focused firmly on the ground. “We can’t keep living like this, Dom. Women need to have more power. To protect themselves instead of relying on the men.”
“Caleb mentioned that we need to change.”
“He was right.”
“You gonna stick around and make sure it happens?”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
“You gonna do it with Payne?”
“Eww, what kind of question is that?” She screeched.
“Not that kind,” I exclaimed, elbowing her in the side. “Get your mind out the gutter, sister. I meant are you and Payne going to stay together and work things out?”
“You should have said that,” she muttered, her cheeks flushing.
“Well, now that you mention it, there is only one bedroom,” I craned my neck to peek in the window and she smacked my shoulder. “Where exactly has Payne been sleeping?”
“On the couch,” she mumbled unconvincingly.
“Uh huh and Nicky?” I could see a toddler bed set up in the corner of the room where I was guessing Nicky spent his nights.
“Okay, enough about my life. Where have you been sleeping?” She asked pointedly, turning the tables.
“In Jess’ bed,” I replied without hesitation.
“Her dad allows that?” Sam said incredulously.
“He doesn’t exactly know,” I answered sheepishly. “And I sleep there in wolf form.”
“I was about to say,” Sam grumbled, flopping back against the swing. “Her dad doesn’t seem the type to let something like that go.”
“No, he isn’t,” I agreed, “He’s a good man.”
“He is. I know Wren likes him.”
A smiled tugged at my lips at Sam’s words. “Jess is still uncomfortable about that.”
“Eh, I can’t blame her.” Sam shuddered. “Can you imagine if Dad….?”
“No,” I said abruptly. “No. Just no.”
“I missed you too, Dom,” Sam whispered, the sound so low if he didn’t have excellent hearing he would have missed it. I slung my arm around her shoulders, squeezing gently as I kissed the top of her head.
“I need to go,” I told her, standing up. “I want to check on Jess.”
She stood with me, hugging me around my waist, her voice muffled as she said, “Baby brother is whipped.”