“Even more tempting now, huh?”
She nods, and a tear falls down her face. I reach up and wipe it away.
“When you need someone to get high with, let me know. I’m all in.” I give her a quick hug and kiss her cheek.
“Thanks, Lucas.”
We stand quietly for a moment, and I see her looking at Luke.
“He looks just like Tommy, doesn’t he?”
“More and more every day.”
I look over at my wife, who I see is seconds from exploding.
I clear my throat. “You need anything at all, you know my number.”
She nods.
“I’m gonna take off, but seriously, anything—”
“Come up later. We’ll all be at the house.”
“You got it.” I don’t care that Ashly is no doubt looking at me. I lean forward and give Tessa a kiss on the forehead, forcing myself not to inhale her scent. “See you soon.”
I walk over to the coat closet, grab our stuff, and head out to gather the family.
Once in the vehicle, Ava starts sobbing. She’s held it in long enough.
“Did you see her face? The bruises? Tessa’s, too? I hate that they did that to them.”
Harper was kidnapped, beaten, her unborn child was killed, and her father shot in front of her. The little sweet girl who grew up right in front of my eyes. I shudder just thinking about it. Tessa and the Brit’s wife were beaten, too. The man who did it to her was now dead, or I’d fucking kill him myself. He was Collin’s own brother, a brother Collin never knew of.
I look back to see Logan hugging his sister.
“I’m so sorry, Ava. So sorry they went through it all. If there was anything I could have done to prevent it, I would have. If I could go back and fix it for them, I would. But there is nothing that can be done to erase what happened. We’ll just be there for them and help them heal.”
“I know, Daddy,” she sobs.
“And you keep making them smile, Ava. They need that.”
“Okay.” She takes in a few quivering breaths.
“And you know we are all here for you,” Logan says in her ear. “No matter what, Ava.”
“Okay, so we go home, we cry, we get changed, and head over to the Abraham home.”
“I don’t think so,” Ashley whispers at me as I turn the key and start the SUV.
“Play nice, Ash.”
“I know Ava wants to be there, but I’m tired and really don’t think I can handle this. Logan, do you wanna go to the Abrahams’ or home with me?”
I look up in the rearview mirror and see Logan’s tangled expression.
“We can drop Mom off, Logan, and then come back.”
“I’ll go with Mom.”