Ink Enduring (Montgomery Ink #5)(49)

Sasha rolled her eyes with the grace of a little kid. “Nope. You all like each other, so, duh, you’re together.” She beamed. “When I grow up, I want two boyfriends, too.” And with that, she skipped off to play with her brother and cousins.

Border met his lovers’ eyes and snorted. “Well, that wasn’t quite what I expected.”

Meghan walked up to them, her eyes bright, but a brow raised. “The Montgomerys are never what you quite expect. And did I just hear my baby daughter wants two boyfriends.”

Luc put his arm around his wife’s waist and glared at the triad. “My precious baby daughter isn’t having one boyfriend, let alone two.”

The rest of the family laughed, and Border joined in. He was astonished that no one seemed to have a problem with the fact that Maya, Jake, and Border were together. Or if they did, they kept it to themselves and didn’t make a big deal about it. He knew it wouldn’t be that easy outside of this circle, but it at least gave him hope.

Hope for what, he didn’t know. Their future was uncertain, and putting monumental stresses on it wouldn’t help anyone.

“So,” Harry Montgomery said after a moment. The patriarch of the Montgomery family looked like he’d been through the wringer and had come out fighting. Border knew from Jake that Maya’s father had recently fought cancer and won. The man looked good for someone who had been through all he had.

“So,” Marie said after a moment. She put her hand in her husband’s and sighed. “Alex gets out tomorrow.”

Border stiffened. He hadn’t known that. He knew the Montgomery son who had gone to rehab a few months ago would be getting out soon, but he didn’t know it was so close. Hell, no wonder Maya was on edge beyond everything going on with the three of them.

“I’m going to pick him up,” Maya said firmly. She held up her hand when the others began to speak all at once. “I know we’ve called him and he’s listened to us. I know we’ve written and he’s acknowledged that. But he hasn’t let any of us see him. I don’t know why, but he needed space, I get it. We’re a big family.” She paused, her brow creasing. “Jake and I are the ones that dropped him off when he knew, and when we knew it was time he got help—help we couldn’t provide on our own.” She met Jake’s gaze, and Border had the overwhelming urge to pull back from the two of them in that moment. “Jake and I should be the ones to get him.”

Jake gripped her hand and lowered his head. “I know he’s your brother, but I’ll be there for him.”

Border cleared this throat, aware he was about to do something that could backfire immensely. “I’ll go, too.”

Everyone turned to him, but he only had eyes for Maya and Jake. “I don’t know Alex, but I do know Maya and Jake. So I’ll be there for them. And maybe it will be good for your brother to see someone who doesn’t have any past expectations of him.”

Maya’s eyes filled and she came to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He held her close and reached around for Jake, who came around Maya’s back to hold her, as well. It should have been awkward as hell to have the three of them hold one another in front of Maya’s family, but it only felt right. He couldn’t explain it, but maybe this was one of those things he shouldn’t have to explain.

“I think that’s a fine idea,” Marie said as the others began talking all at once again. She moved to Border’s side and cupped his cheek. “You’re a good man, Border. I hope to get to know you better now that you’re in my daughter’s life. And in the life of the man I call a son when no one’s looking.”

Jake chuckled roughly, and Border couldn’t help but join him. “I’ve heard you tried to adopt Jake a few times,” he said finally. The warmth of her touch on his cheek felt like home…and he wasn’t sure what to think about that.

“I’ve tried to adopt the entire Gallagher clan. But they won’t let me.” Marie winked, and Border shook his head.

The Montgomerys were more than he’d ever hoped for, and yet he wasn’t sure what would come of it. There was no set future for him, Maya, and Jake, he knew that, but with just this taste of what they could be, he was afraid to hope.

Because hope could lead to heartache.

Again.




Border drove toward the rehab center with Maya in the passenger seat and Jake in the back. The SUV was large enough that Alex would be able to fit easily, and not have to touch a single person in the process. While Border had said he’d go for Maya, and Alex for that matter, he was now a little worried he’d stepped in it. He didn’t know this man and his demons. Frankly, he wasn’t sure any of the Montgomerys knew Alex’s demons. And now he was inserting himself into Alex’s life at a time that was beyond fragile.

This was for Maya, though. Maya and Jake. Border might have only met Maya because of Jake, but through all of the years of hearing about her and now meeting her, getting to know her, Border knew what he felt for her wasn’t just because of Jake. That was something he would have to figure out with Maya, but right now wasn’t the time to think about it.

Instead, he would be by Maya’s side when she went through hell for her brother. She was already pale, the ink on her skin showing in stark contrast. She kept bouncing her knee up and down while fluttering her fingers on her thigh. She couldn’t stop moving, and Border wasn’t sure what to do. With Jake in the backseat, it was up to Border to try to help from the front seat. He reached out and gripped her hand, squeezing harder than he normally would have, but not enough to hurt.