Page 42 of Fractured Destiny

Zane and Ty keep quiet as I process.

“I don’t know if she feels the same way about me.” I look at my hands so I can avoid their eyes. “She’s told everything and we talk a lot about her sobriety in our counseling sessions. There’s a haunted look in her eyes whenever we talk about our past, though. Her family is one of the richest in Seattle. It’s not like she lived a tough life in boarding school and college. What could it be?”

“Have you asked her?” Ty squints at me.

“Once.” I wring my hands. “She blew it off.”

Ty leans back. “It’s early days. Take it from an old married man who knows a thing or two. Give her the runway, brother. Same as you’re giving Levi.”

“I want her to trust me.” The words come out uglier than I mean. “I’ve given her weeks of showing up on time and following Hannah’s rules and shutting my fucking mouth every time I want to argue about the timeline. I want her to look at me and know I’m not going anywhere.”

“She knows.” Zane’s voice is gentle. “She’s afraid too, is my guess. She’s going from having Levi all to herself to sharing her baby with you.”

I stare at the floor. “Yeah. True.”

“It wasn’t long ago I thought I’d lost my own family.” Ty shrugs. “Time and faith can heal you. Keep up what you’re doing.”

“Yeah,” I say again. Softer this time. “Let’s get back to work. I wanna get home. Tomorrow’s a big day.”

Ty hits play on Little Hand and lets it roll again. We spend the next couple hours fine-tuning the tracks and are about to finalize the last one when my phone buzzes against the console.

I flip it over.

Noa.

She never calls during a session. I almost let it go to voicemail when I realize it could be about Levi.

I step out into the hall and answer. “Hey.”

“Lake.” Her voice is a wire pulled tight. “Levi climbed the coffee table when I turned my back. He fell. There’s blood. I don’t know how bad it is. My parents are out of town so I’m taking him to Swedish as a precaution I’m—can you—”

“I’m on my way.” I grab my keys and head out without saying a word to Ty or Zane.

They’ll understand.

“Meet me at the ER. Please,” Noa sobs. “I’m pulling into the parking lot.”

“Baby, I’m already in the car.” I’m not. I’m walking up the driveway but she needs comfort, not precision. “GPS says ten minutes to the bridge. Twenty to Swedish. I’m coming. Talk to me.”

I hear Levi in the background. He’s crying. Loud. Loud is good. Loud means he’s breathing and conscious. I’ve never in my life been so grateful to hear my son screaming.

“Keep talking, Noa. I need to know you’re both okay.” I gun the car past a slow poke Subaru. “I’m gonna be there soon.”

Her laugh is wet and broken. “Okay. Hurry.”

“Noa. Don’t be scared. We’ll get through this. Together,” I vow.

If I didn’t know it before.

I do now.

They’re my family and I’ll do anything to keep the two of them safe.

twelve

Hours Later

My nervous system is finally calming down.