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I didn’t turn to face him as he spoke I just shutwith hly an hour after I woke, four men came into the room with us One by one they tortured ue your world with, before finally giving the the to us They tortured the them Saco’s team came in at the exact same moment they killed the last h my body, and my shoulders jerked fro to reach behind me to touch him, to be there for him while he relived this

"I’d pro them home safe, and I didn’t keep that promise I watched them die, and it was because I fell into a trap I know I should have seen"

"No," I choked out

"I see that day whenever I fall asleep I see it whenever a sers it," he continued, his voice still slow and dark "I didn’t think I deserved happiness, not after that, and not until I ers brushed up the arht froed me so completely I’ve tried to hide--­and hide fro I fell in love with you and your son, Reagan I fell hard, and fast, and everything about the three of us together made sense But I let a feords form doubt, and I know I shattered your trust--­I know I shattered the little trust you already had inaway fro an arm around my waist, he closed the little distance between us and rested his bent head against the side of ainst the curve of rip his hand inthe battle He had no idea what his touch and words were doing to me, or maybe he did

"I a flashbacks of that ht for the rest of my life in a heartbeat if it ht of not re is heaven, but that"--­he pointed to the picture of the three of us--­"is my peace You and Parker are my peace You’re my life My family I can’t live without you, please don’t askat the picture in front of h the tears anyht with ain But I was right there with him, I wasn’t sure we could live without him I hadn’t felt this whole since the last ti infrom him

With a tortured breath out, his aran," he whispered before I heard his footsteps retreat froot farther away from me, and it wasn’t until I heard the door shut to his studio, did I finally turn fro in Before I could even run after hiain and my eyes widened as I saw the backs of the canvases Down the entire left roas a word on every canvas: IT’S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I STOPPED HIDING FROM MY DEMONS THANK YOU

And it was then I understood all of it Starting with the pictures of Coen hiding his eyes or face, changing into the ones of us together where there was no longer anything for hi his soul to tellfor the front door, and flung it open Keegan and Erica were standing against Keegan’s truck looking toaway and running his hands over his face

I tried calling out his na came out as I ran after him He must have heard my approach, because he turned just in tiered back a step before steadying his around his waist and pressed my lips firmly to his

When I finally pulled back, I found his dark eyes filled with tears, and if he hadn’t been holding ht me to my knees "We can’t live without you I’ I--­"

He cut ize God, please don’t"

"I love you, Coen; Parker loves you, we need you"

His dark eyes held ain"

I nodded and spoke through the tightness inback toward the studio withto ive you that forever, Reagan"

As we reached the door, Erica spoke up "Don’t worry about tonight Parker’s spending the night with your parents, just have fun"

I sent her a grateful look, and just barely caught my brother’s horrified expression as Coen walked us inside

"Don’t have too much fun!"

Coen just shut and locked the door behind us, before capturing h his studio Letting me slide down his body, he helpedhis advance By the ti dropped to the floor and he was pulling off ently pushed me down onto the bed