Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(33)

Because I couldn’t be trusted with the good things in life.

It’s your fault.

I trusted you.

You were supposed to take care of her.

You promised, you’d take care of her.

An echo of those words assaulted me, and I could almost feel the fists beating against my chest as my mother screamed in agony, her anguish its own phantom that would haunt me the rest of my life.

I threw the ball with everything I had, like it might take the sorrow with it. Peel it from my skin. Or maybe take me back to that time. Where I could change it. Make it right.

Kale grunted when he caught the blistering spiral. His eyes narrowed in awareness. The guy knew me well enough to latch on to exactly where my mind had gone.

“Seriously, Ollie. Joking aside. You belong here, man. With our kids. Our families. Don’t ever question that.”

That was what they’d become. Didn’t mean I didn’t continually feel like an outsider. The leech who had nothing but was desperate for something, latching on, the whole time praying I didn’t bleed them dry.

My voice went hoarse. “Love them like my family,” I forced out, my gaze moving to the kids, who were playing so free.

“That’s because they are your family. Think we all know well enough blood isn’t necessary to make that bond.” Rex’s words were low.

Emphatic.

Like he needed me to know.

Like he was reminding me of the way it’d been when we were kids. And truthfully, the way we were then. Could trust both of them with anything.

Rex began moving my way, angling his head at Kale to follow.

We met in the middle, moving away from the kids a bit. Clearly moving out of earshot.

“So, what’s this bullshit about Nikki’s place getting broken into? Any idea who it might have been?”

My head shook, unease tying up my guts. “No. She’s being tight-lipped about it.”

“Stubborn,” Kale said, almost offering a smile.

I huffed out a frustrated sound. “Tell me about it. Pretty sure it has something to do with that meeting she’s helping to run. She goes quiet the second I bring it up. Think she’s protecting someone.”

A fresh round of fury pulsed through my veins.

The acute need to protect Nikki.

The urge to hunt.

Problem was, I wasn’t sure what I’d do if I found the fucker who thought it’d be a good idea to mess with her.

“I called Seth this morning, and he said they still don’t have any leads.”

Couldn’t stand the thought that he was still out there.

“I don’t like this whole situation. Something just doesn’t sit right.”

That feeling continued to grow. Coming on stronger. An itchy awareness of an approaching storm. Something wicked wound with the wind.

“She’s still staying at your place?” Kale asked.

“Yeah.”

As much as it was driving me straight out of my mind, I wasn’t letting her go anywhere.

Rex dipped his head quickly, happy with that answer. “Rynna is seriously messed up over it. Keeps bringing it up every night, worried about Nikki and what she’s going to do. You know Nikki . . . she tried to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal, but Rynna didn’t buy it. She suggested we find a house to flip and have Nikki rent it so she’s in a safer neighborhood.”

In contemplation, he looked away before bringing his attention back to me. “There was a building that went up for sale by the river. One of the deserted warehouses down on Row.”

Kale whistled. “Took a drive down that dirt road a few weeks back after we had a picnic at the lake. It’s like a fucking ghost town out there.”

Rex nodded. “Yup. Place is just about as dilapidated as they come . . . junkies using it as a drug house and God knows what else . . . but the location is mint. And you know Broderick, he’s always thinking big. He wants in. Luxury condos right on the river. He’s envisioning developing the area into a destination spot with stores and restaurants and maybe another hotel in the future. Think I’m gonna keep a couple units for investment, make it affordable for Nikki. She can stay there as long as she wants until she decides on a permanent place.”

With me.

The thought struck me from out of nowhere.

Fuck.

No.

Not from out of nowhere.

I knew exactly which direction it hit me from. Where it lived. In that deep, deep space that would always fucking belong to that girl. The piece of me she would always hold in the palm of her hand.

The only girl I’d ever loved. The one I wanted but couldn’t keep.

Throat lined with razors, I swallowed hard. “Sounds like a solid plan.”

“Thought so, too. Stand to make a lot of money, so it isn’t gonna hurt us a bit to keep one of the units for Nik, even though I know she’s gonna be all up in arms about it. We’re going to have to ease her into the idea.”

“I agree.”

He eyed me. “Not sure what she’s going to do in the meantime. It’s going to take us at least a year to get the first condos ready, but I don’t like the idea of her staying at that apartment.”

I rubbed my hand over my mouth, my small laugh incredulous. “Think it’s safe to say that makes two of us.” I sucked in a breath. “She’s just going to have to stay with me until then.”