Love Restored (Gallagher Brothers #1)(44)

She’d known the clock had started to go faster once she’d been named in the estate. Chris’s family had been best friends with her family before things had gone to hell. Money spoke, and Blake didn’t have any anymore.

Chris’s family had found her.

They’d found Rowan.

And now, Blake could lose everything.

Her vision blurred, and she tried to catch her breath, only too late realizing she hadn’t been breathing at all. As she started to fall back, Derek was there, catching her.

“Shit,” he said quickly. “Blake, honey, breathe.”

“Fuck, call Graham, will you?” Maya asked. Blake wasn’t sure who Maya was talking to, but she assumed it had to be one of the clients. She blinked up as Maya tossed her phone to someone and knelt in front of her. “Honey, talk to me. What’s in this envelope?”

When had she ended up on the ground? Things didn’t make sense. Oh, God. She needed to find Rowan. She couldn’t break, couldn’t fall apart. She didn’t have the luxury of falling apart like this.

“I need…” Blake took a deep breath. “I need to get Rowan.” She met Maya’s gaze. “I need to get her from school. Keep her safe.”

Maya cupped her face even as Derek rubbed her back. “Got that. But you aren’t driving right now. Is there anyone on the list at her school that can pick her up?”

Blake pressed her lips together. “I don’t know.” She closed her eyes, told herself to stop freaking out and put Rowan first. “My neighbor, Mrs. Gonzales. But she doesn’t have a car.”

Maya stuck her hand in Blake’s pocket and pulled out her phone. “Okay, then we’re going to call Mrs. Gonzales and tell her to be ready for a Montgomery or a Gallagher to pick her up so they can go get Rowan. You’re not alone, Blake. Not anymore.”

Blake’s hands shook as she put in her password and dialed the number, knowing Maya was right, though it hurt her to ask for help. No one knew the truth, knew who Blake had been before she’d cleaned herself up. And now, everyone would see who she was and how she’d never truly cleaned off the grit that marred her soul.

By the time she’d finished explaining things to her neighbor, who swore she’d protect Rowan, Blake was ready to stand up and open the envelope that had fallen to her lap.

“Owen is on his way to pick her up with Murphy,” Maya explained. “Then they’ll take Rowan and Mrs. Gonzales to Graham’s place so she’s not at home in case they have your address.” Maya paused. “I let you keep your secrets because I trust you and I still do, but you’re going to have to come clean because I’m putting those I love in the middle of this.”

Maya’s words penetrated her thoughts as she shook her head. “You shouldn’t have called Graham,” she whispered. She cleared her throat, this time, her words stronger. “We’re not together anymore, and he wants nothing to do with me and Rowan.”

Maya held Blake’s hands as she helped her up. Then she bent down, grabbed the envelope, and handed it over to Blake. “He’s on his way. I don’t know what happened between the two of you guys, but he’s coming because you need him. I didn’t know y’all had a fight, or I might have called someone else. But you know what? We’re what you have right now. Rowan is going to be safe, and you’re going to be fine. Now open the damn envelope.”

Maya’s sharp words brought Blake out of her funk, and she opened the package, shaking hands and all.

The first words on at the legal document were what she’d figured they’d be, but they were still a shock to the system.

“A formal petition for custody?” Derek asked from behind her. She’d almost forgotten he was there. “Who is trying to get Rowan? Her father?”

Blake shook her head. “Chris is dead. This is his parents.” Her voice shook. “They want Rowan because they’ve always found me unfit.”

“We won’t let that happen.”

Blake’s head shot up at Graham’s voice. Maya moved out of the way, and Graham moved closer to Blake. Her heart raced, her body going numb at the sight of him.

“You must have broken like every traffic law to get here,” Derek said.

“I’m here. That’s what matters.” He turned to Maya. “You okay without Blake today? I’m taking her to my place so she’s there when Rowan gets out of school. Derek, you okay driving her car back to my place later with someone?”

“Got it, just get me the keys.”

Blake held out her arms. When had everything fallen out of her hands into others’? This was so unlike her, and she hated it.

“Stop,” she said softly. “Stop trying to fix it. You can’t fix this, Graham. No one can.” She paused. “I appreciate everything you guys are doing, but I need to do this myself.”

Graham pinched her chin and forced her gaze to his. “You’ve been doing everything on your own long enough. We’re helping you, and you’re going to have to deal with it. Scream at me and hit me later. For now, we’re carrying your burden so you can get your head on straight.”

And with that eloquent statement, Blake promptly burst into tears.

Graham held her close, taking the papers from her hand, causing her to cry even harder. With each tear, she hated herself just a little bit more for not being able to hold it together. She’d been doing just fine for a freaking decade, but apparently, she couldn’t do it anymore. And it killed her that she wasn’t strong enough to be what Rowan needed now.