Uniting the Souls (Souls of Chicago #6)(65)
“Zane stopped moving and there was so much blood. I tried to get to him, to see if he was breathing, but Dad turned on me then and his eyes were black and soulless. He reached for me and I scrambled off his back and towards the door. I looked back at Zane who still hadn’t moved and then at my father who had murder in his eyes and I knew it was over. Zane was gone and there was nothing I could do for him, nothing except keep my promise to him. So, I ran. I ran and I ran and I kept going until I was far away from our house and I knew my father couldn’t find me.
“I had no idea where to go and I had nothing on me but the clothes I was wearing and the little bit of money I had in my pocket. I made it to a bus station and took a bus as far as my money would get me. I didn’t care where that was because at that point, anywhere was safer than home. I ended up in Chicago and I wandered around the streets, trying to figure out what to do. I was terrified. I was seventeen with no money, no friends and I’d just watched my father kill my brother. It was cold out and getting dark. I knew I’d need to find a place to sleep soon and then I walked around a corner and saw a building, all lit up. The sign over the door said Agape House—A safe place to call home. I had no idea if they would have room for me or if they’d call the police and send me back to my father, but I was desperate so I went inside.” I turned to Matt who had tears streaming down his own face.
“You walked up to me that night and used that same soothing voice you use to put all the new kids at ease and I started crying. I couldn’t tell you anything that had happened because I was afraid of being sent back to my dad, but I immediately felt safe with you and that was better than anything I could’ve asked for right then,” I told him.
“What happened with your father?” Hudson asked in a strained voice. He looked angrier than I had ever seen him before, but I could tell he was trying to rein it in. “I’m assuming CPS would’ve tracked him down and found out what he’d done.”
“I don’t know, I never saw him again and frankly I was just relieved to be able to stay at the center and never go back to that hell again,” I stated honestly. Hudson looked across me to Matt who was staring down at his hands. Matt looked up at us and I could see the defiance in his eyes.
“I never called them, okay?” he said defensively. “I never called CPS. I knew I should, I knew I was required by law and could lose my license for it.” His eyes flickered to mine and softened. “But there was something about you, something special. I hadn’t allowed myself to feel anything since Sean died, but I felt a connection with you. Maybe I was able to sense that you’d suffered a great loss just like I had, I don’t know how to explain it. I just knew that you were different and that whatever had sent you running to me wasn’t something you could ever go back to. So, I didn’t call CPS. I kept you off the books and I told everyone that you were already eighteen.”
“Is that why you always asked me to help out in the office?” I asked.
“That was part of the reason. I had to convince everyone that I’d hired you even though you weren’t finished with high school. I’d let other employees stay there before if they needed it so at least I didn’t have to make up a story about why you were living there. The other reason was that I just liked being around you. You were always so sweet and kind. You made me happy and I hadn’t felt that way in a very long time,” Matt admitted. I couldn’t help myself, I pounced on him, thanking him in between every kiss that I planted on his face.
“I knew that you had saved me by letting me stay there, but I had no idea the trouble you’d gone through to do it. I owe you my life, literally, because I know that if I’d been sent back, I wouldn’t be here today,” I told him. Matt smiled at me then glanced nervously at Hudson.
“The laws are in place to try and keep everyone safe, but sometimes there are situations where we just have to go with our guts. That’s what you did, Matt, and it was the right thing to do,” Hudson assured him and I watched Matt’s shoulders relax.
“I miss Zane so much and I feel horrible that I tried to push him out of my mind for so long,” I whispered.
Hudson placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face to his. “Our minds can only deal with so much before something has to give. You had to push it all aside so that you could pick yourself back up and move on. You tried to save Zane, and when you couldn’t, you kept your promise to him and saved yourself. There’s absolutely nothing for you to feel guilty about and I’m pretty sure if Zane were here, he’d tell you how proud he is of you and how you’ve turned out.” Fresh tears started to flow and they both wrapped me up between them and held me while I cried.
A little while later, Hudson carried me up to bed and him and Matt crawled in on either side of me. We lay there in the dark, just listening to each other breathe, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
“I know the one boy is too young to be at the center for long, but please, promise me that we’ll do everything we can to keep them together. I couldn’t stand it if those two brothers were separated,” I whispered.
Matt kissed the side of my neck. “I promise you, we’ll figure something out. I’ll make sure they’ll get to stay together.”
I let out a long sigh of relief and, feeling exhausted from the emotions of the day, I drifted off, cradled between the two men who I knew would never let anything bad happen to me ever again.