Page 131 of The Risk Taker
But it’s not okay. This is wrong and weird. His entire family is smiling and greeting me like it’s a happy reunion. At least Sinclair isn’t afraid to address the elephant in the room.
I stare at her as she presses her lips together, fighting tears. My stomach bottoms out as I realize…
They really do blame him for his mother’s death. Sinclair wouldn’t ask me if he told me why he did it if they knew it was an accident.
Slade’s grip tightens on my hip like he’s trying to hold me back as I lean forward, unable to rein my anger in.
“It wasn’t his fault. Did you ever consider that?” I say, my voice louder than I intend.
Everyone stares at me and the room falls silent except for the sounds of the dogs’ claws scattering over the polished concrete floors. My chest rises and falls with rough breaths as Slade eases me toward him.
I melt into his side, desperately trying to remain strong for him. He presses a kiss to my temple, and it takes everything in me not to cry for him.
“We’ve all had a shock,” Sterling soothes in a deep tone, throwing Sinclair a warning look. “This is hard on everyone. But we’re family and we need to stick together.”
I blink hard, my chest burning.
Beauforts stick together.
He doesn’t use those exact words, but I hear them, and so does Slade because he tenses beside me.
Sinclair spins away, striding from the room. Denver watches her go, then excuses himself and follows her. Sterling murmurs something to Halliday and she nods, and Molly calls out to Tate, stealing her attention.
“You all right?” Slade whispers in my ear.
My jaw slackens as his warm breath flows over my skin. I exhale. “Yeah. It’s just…”
“I know. It’s fucking weird being back. I didn’t think they’d have even kept this place.”
I look at him. “This is your old place?”
“Yeah. And it’s exactly as I left it, minus some stuff. Dad said they didn’t know what to do with it.”
“They couldn’t let you go,” I whisper.
“Daddy!” Molly squeals, pulling my attention from Slade.
She jumps to her feet, holding her arms up in the air. She’s the only one who doesn’t seem to notice the temperature dropping a couple of degrees as Sullivan marches into the room.
They are so alike now that Slade’s had his hair cut and shaved off his stubble. It’s almost unnerving. Slade’s hair is still longer, though. And I was right when I thought Sullivan looked leaner in the magazine article. He’s all clean lines. Navy suit, razor-sharp jaw, laser-focused eyes, assessing me as I cling to Slade.
Slade’s broader, less harsh, like his edges have been blurred. A sunset over water, all the colors beautifully blending into one another to make something breathtaking.
Sullivan scoops Molly up, his hardened expression melting into a startlingly beautiful smile as he presses a kiss to her cheek. “You okay, Sweetheart?”
“Play babies?” she asks.
His eyes glue onto Slade’s and something about the way he’s looking at him has me fidgeting uncomfortably.
“Daddy will play in a minute. I need to talk to Slade first.”
“Uncle Shade,” Molly says, beaming at us.
She says it with such a tender innocence that I can’t stop the shock from bubbling from me in a surprised giggle.
“Yeah. She calls me Uncle ‘Shade’,” Slade says, his voice full of adoration.
I gaze at him. He’s looking at Molly with what can only be described as complete besottedness. He clearly loves her already.
