Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(94)

He doesn’t answer for far too long, letting his forehead fall against mine. Pain emanates from him and I brace myself for whatever

it is he’s working up the courage to tell me. I lightly stroke my hands through his hair, patiently waiting for him to open up to

me. Finally.

“Tate’s the only family I have, Laney.”

No sudden gasp or line of questioning; I don’t react, but rather keep the same calming speed to my strokes of his hair. Placing

kisses on his crown intermittently, I remain silent and mentally will him to continue.

“My parents aren’t just never home, they’re gone. Been almost three years,” his voice wobbles and I wrap my arms around his

neck, holding him to me.

“Go on,” I whisper.

“My dad, our dad, loved to fly. He’d whisk my mom away for weekend trips, hell sometimes even just lunch,” he lightly chuckles,

“all the time. One trip, they didn’t come back. Mechanical failure, landing gear didn’t even come down.” His voice is somber

now and a shudder runs through him. “So Tate’s all I have now. And you.” He lifts his head and looks at me hopefully. “I have

you.”

It’s a statement, but question lurks in his eyes, laced with insecurity. “Yes, Dane, you have me.” I smile weakly, still

saddened to hear about his parents. Every time I asked where they were or if they’d be home, I’d been driving a dagger in his

heart. I talk about my dad non-stop. I left Dane here alone on Thanksgiving. I’ve been an idiot and Bennett’s words ring in my

ears. “Dane,” I cup his cheek with one hand, “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about your parents, and I’m sorry I didn’t know, or

ask—”

“Laney, don’t. Not your fault at all. I didn’t exactly tell you the truth. I wanted to, so many times, especially knowing how

you feel about your mom, but I just didn’t. So I’m sorry, too.”

“Don’t even think about apologizing to me. You told me now, when it felt right, and that’s all that matters.” Wrapping myself

around him once again, unable to not just hold him, love him, comfort him, I continue. “And Dane, your mom didn’t leave you, she

was taken. I’m sure she loved you very much. How could she not?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t know my mom as well as I thought I did, and maybe there are things you don’t know about yours, too,

Laney.”

“What do you mean?” I lean back and look up at him.

He sits up and drags me on his lap, wrapping a sheet around me loosely.

He sits up and drags me on his lap, wrapping a sheet around me loosely. “My mom, not Tate’s mom, was our father’s second wife.

When they died, I got everything. I have more money than I’ll ever spend, Laney, and Tate got nothing.” He looks down, as though

ashamed, speaking again from that pose. “My mother couldn’t accept Tate. He represented her husband’s past life, the one before

her. She was so jealous she took it out on Tate, till he finally just quit visiting. I didn’t know that’s why he disappeared

until he came for our father’s funeral and I had to drag it out of him.”

Running a slow hand down his face, he kisses my shoulder and leaves his lips there, his next words soft upon my skin. “I was sole

beneficiary, to everything. So it would seem my mother talked our father into hurting him, too, even after death. I’m not sure why

he even speaks to me, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to him.”

“Look at me.” I lift his head, cupping his face. “It’s not your fault. You shouldn’t feel guilty for their wrongs, Dane. All

you can control is you, and you are a wonderful person.”

He covers my hands with his own. “Tate won’t take a dime; says he won’t touch their hate money. So I just see to it that he

benefits in clever ways.” He almost smiles. “That’s our secret though, baby, okay?” He raises his brow in question.

I nod and smile, his secrets are safe with me and my heart floods with admiration. Dane doesn’t have a greedy bone in his body and

knowing what he does to help his brother, well, it’s just another reason I adore him. I’m still a little lost at how this all

relates to my own mother, however.

And cue the slightly frightening Dane ESP. “So, sometimes you may think you know people, and things are actually worse. Whereas

sometimes you may think the worst and don’t know the real person at all.” He quirks a brow at me.

What? “What?”



“Go take your shower, and brush your teeth.” He laughs and kisses me. “Then I want to give you one of your Christmas presents.”

The hot shower feels wonderful. I ache in the most intimate places, and think for a second about really milking out my discomfort

to tease Dane. I decide to go easy on him, though, when I step out and see the casual set of pants and shelf-tank he’s left on the

counter for me. Silky and light pink, the new clothes glide over my body and I smile to myself, thinking about how good he is to

me; but I damn near tear up when I see the two pain relievers and glass of OJ. This man—if I told people the things he does for