“My God, I love you, Kayla. I was so scared that I’d lost you.”
“I... love... you... too.”
He could barely make out her whispers, but she had said it. He was in awe of her. She was so strong. She’d fought back and even saved his brother’s life. And he was going to give Cait a lifetime membership at his dojo. He couldn’t be thankful enough for what she did. She’d rescued them from that fucker. If Tom hadn’t died in that elevator, Duncan would’ve gladly paid him a visit to help him on his way to hell.
“My sweet, sweet girl. We were so scared. Oh, dear sweet Kayla,” Kayla’s mother, Catherine, said as she rushed into the room, sobbing and hiccupping. Duncan noticed the doctor, nurse and Brennan leaving, and Duncan stood from the chair next to the bed so Catherine could sit there. He felt a slap on the back, and when he looked over his shoulder, he saw Kayla’s father, Jack. He was in tears, but he held a strong grip on Duncan’s shoulder.
Jack stood beside his wife, squeezing her shoulder in support. “Kayla, love, you scared your mom and me. Don’t ever leave us. We love you, sweet girl.”
Kayla nodded softly as the tears fell over her cheeks. Duncan stepped around the bed so he could hold her other hand. She looked up at Duncan and gave him a teary smile. He pushed some stray hairs from her face, and she closed her eyes and leaned in to his touch.
Not long after, Evan and Calum came into the room. “Okay, we want some Kay-Kay time too,” Evan announced with a big smile on his face. Both brothers stepped up to the bed, and Duncan gave Kayla a kiss on her cheek before he stepped aside.
“Can I have a talk with you, Duncan?” Jack asked.
Duncan looked over at Kayla, and she nodded that it was okay. “I’ll be right back, wildflower.” She lifted her hand as if to shoo him away, and he chuckled.
Jack and Duncan walked down the hall to the coffee machine, although Duncan already knew he would hate the taste. They walked in a sort of comfortable silence to a bench near the coffee machine after they both got their cup. Duncan sat down and waited for what was to come.
“So...,” Jack started but hesitated.
Duncan looked to his side, where Jack sat with his back and head against the wall, his eyes closed. Jack was a big guy; Duncan figured that Calum’s physique resembled his father’s. For a moment, Duncan wondered if he had fallen asleep, but then Jack opened his eyes and gave a big sigh.
“Duncan, I have to tell you that my heart is broken, and I think a little bit can’t ever be repaired. Catherine and I, the boys and I, we’ve done everything to protect our girls—from little fuckers at the schoolyard pulling their ponytails, high school boyfriends, and later on the frat boys. Kayla can tell you that she comes from a strict but fair upbringing.”
Duncan nodded, as Kayla had told him how the family had looked out for the girls. ”Yeah, she told me. I respect that you cherished the girls.”
Jack looked at Duncan, and he nodded in understanding, like they talked the same talk. “Hmm, exactly. Cherished. And in comes a coworker who hurts our Kayla, has her running across the country scared and alone, and now she’s lying in a hospital again.
“Sitting on that plane to hopefully be in time to see our Kayla is something that has scarred all of us. But I’m going about this all wrong, because I have to be honest here and admit that she’s been hurt on our watch too. Two wrongs don’t make it right, but I know what you’re feeling. And that guilt for not being there for a loved one is going to eat you up inside if you’ll let it.
“What I’m trying to say is that when our family came into the hospital in the early morning and walked into a waiting room full of people, we were shocked at first. We could feel the love from your family for our Kayla, and it made me realize that she’s not only our Kayla anymore. She’s definitely her own person with a life here in Austin. In the last couple of hours, I saw that you’ve been stuck in your own personal hell. I noticed how scared you were of losing my girl. But you must know, she might be your wildflower as you put it, but she’ll always stay our little girl.”
Duncan nodded at Jack’s words. He could respect that.
Jack took a gulp from the paper cup and winced from the bad taste of coffee before he spoke. “Catherine and I had a talk with Calum back home. Even before all of this happened yesterday, Calum had told us that our Kayla was in love. He said that the guy she loved also loved her back, and that he was okay with her choice.”
That Calum knew that they were in love, before they’d even confessed it to each other, proved him to be very sharp. Getting the sign of approval from him meant a lot to Duncan, as Calum was one of the most important people in Kayla’s life. Duncan knew she looked up to her brother and that she needed his approval.
“Sir, I love your daughter. Someday I’m gonna ask you for her hand in marriage, and I’m going to cherish my wildflower for the rest of our lives.”
Jack nodded as he extended his hand to Duncan, giving him a firm shake while saying, “Let’s go back to our girl.”