Colters' Gift (Colters' Legacy #5)(56)

The explosive responses were immediate.

“The hell you are!” Max shouted, bolting to his feet.

“Lauren, I’m not sure you should make that decision so quickly,” Adam said, a frown marring his face.

“Do you think that’s best?” Ryan asked, his expression a mirror of Adam’s.

There were more questions. Exclamations of worry. A volley of conversation between the dads and Seth, and then Max and Noah and Liam. It was all a dull roar that made her head ache.

Only the women remained quiet. Callie gripped Lauren’s hand so tightly that her fingers were starting to tingle. Holly had gone completely still next to Lauren, and Lily leaned forward, her worried gaze seeking out Lauren’s.

“I’m scared for you, Lauren,” Callie whispered.

“So am I,” Lily said just as quietly.

Holly reached across Lauren’s lap, holding out her hand to both Lily and Callie until all four women were connected. Lauren allowed the quiet strength of these women—survivors—bleed into her soul.

“I’m scared too,” Lauren admitted. “But the one thing you’ve all taught me is that I have to do the right thing. A woman—women—are dead because of me.”

She shook her head when they would have refuted her statement.

“Not because of me. I know that I’m not responsible for Joel’s actions. But I could have prevented at least some of their deaths. Maybe I could have only prevented one. But how many more will die or be abused or degraded because I’m afraid? I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hiding. I don’t want to forever be looking over my shoulder. I just want . . . peace.”

It was only at the end of her impassioned speech that she realized her voice had carried beyond the scope of the other women, and that everyone else had quieted to listen to what she was saying.

As she glanced up, every single one of the Colters—and Max—were staring at her with gentle understanding, worry, fear and . . . pride.

She swallowed, and then again as the knot swelled in her throat and tears burned her eyelids.

“I want to be somebody you can all be proud of,” she choked out. “And right now I’m not proud of myself, so how can I expect anyone else to be?”

“Oh honey,” Holly said, emotion clouding her voice.

She hugged Lauren to her and rocked back and forth, stroking her hair.

“Listen to me, baby. I want you to look at me.”

Lauren reluctantly lifted her gaze to the older woman and was taken aback at the pride and consternation in her eyes.

“We are proud of you. So very proud. Now it’s time to forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made. You can’t continue to beat yourself up over choices you’ve made. You have to be willing to let go and forgive yourself. No one else blames you. Only you. I look at you and see a beautiful, kind young lady with a heart as big as these mountains. I couldn’t be more proud of you even if I’d given birth to you. You’re one of mine. Never doubt that. And as anyone will tell you, what’s mine is mine, and I love what’s mine fiercely and without reserve or condition.”

Tears slid down Lauren’s cheeks and a sob hiccupped from her throat. “I love you too,” she whispered. “All of you.”

Holly hugged her again, squeezing her until she was breathless. After a moment, she gently separated herself from Lauren and stroked the hair from Lauren’s face. Then she turned to Noah and Liam, all business.

“What is your plan for this?” she demanded.

Chapter 23

IT was hard for Liam not to charge over and take Lauren in his arms. It damn near broke his heart to listen to her break down in front of the people she loved most. He wanted to shield her from any hurt or stress, but her decision meant that hurt—and stress—were inevitable.

When Holly Colter turned her determined stare on him and Noah, and demanded to know what the plan was, he glanced at Noah and then at Seth.

Seth spoke first.

“We don’t have one yet, Mom,” he said gently. “It’s why I called the family together, so we plot out the best course and make damn sure Lauren is protected.”

“She’s our first and only priority, ma’am,” Noah said in a serious tone.

“I still want to know what that means exactly,” Max growled. “I’m having serious issues with the fact that you took advantage of Lauren during a time she was emotionally and physically at a disadvantage.”

“It means that I love her and I’m not going to stand by while someone is a threat to her,” Liam all but roared. He was pissed and growing more pissed by the minute. Now wasn’t the time to bring this shit up. “Furthermore, you don’t call the shots. Noah and I don’t work for you. We haven’t accepted one goddamn cent from you and it’s going to stay that way. Lauren is ours and what that means is that we don’t take orders from anyone when it comes to her safety and well-being. Is that clear enough for you?”

Holly rounded on Max, her mouth tight and her eyes shooting holes through Lauren’s brother. “That’s enough out of you, young man. This isn’t the time or the place to bring up a personal matter that is none of your concern. What’s important here is what we do going forward to make sure Lauren is protected.”

Liam wanted to give Holly Colter a high five. She was a little scary when she got pissed off. She was like a mama lion protecting her cubs, and look out if anyone messed with them.