After the Storm(177)
“Stop torturing yourself,” Joe said. “It’s not doing you or her any good. Save it, man. Wrap her up in your love and support. Bring her home to Cammie and Travis. She’ll pull through this. We won’t entertain any other option. And you damn well know the Kellys are a stubborn, tenacious, overbearing lot and once we set our minds to something, come hell or high water, we’re going to make it happen. She’s family. She’s one of us. And there’s no way in hell any of us are giving up on her.”
Donovan smiled, some of the agony easing. Just a bit.
“It’s a hell of a note when my baby brother is kicking my dumb ass,” Donovan muttered.
Joe grinned. “I’m savoring it. It may never happen again.”
“Thanks,” Donovan said sincerely. “I’m glad you and Nathan are out of the army and working with us. We weren’t complete until you two joined. Now we’re whole.”
A shadow passed through Joe’s eyes, and Donovan knew he was remembering how close they came to losing Nathan. Joe’s twin.
“Just remember that I felt what Shea felt. That I had the same link to her that Nathan did. I saw what she saw, felt what she felt. And she went through hell. She was tortured and when we found her, she was a lifeless shell of her former self. But she came around, and so will Eve. Just give her time. If all they did was keep her drugged, then that’s something that can be overcome.”
Donovan gently thumbed the shadow of a bruise on Eve’s mouth and the dried blood at her lip. “Someone hit her. And if they hit her once, who’s to say they didn’t hurt her in other ways? We may never know what she endured. Even if she comes around, she may never remember all that happened to her.”
“Maybe that’s for the best,” Joe said quietly. “Some things are better left unremembered. All she needs to know is that she’s loved and she’s safe. The past doesn’t matter any longer.”
Donovan nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right. But goddamn it, I want to shed the blood of every single motherfucker who had a part in doing this to her. And to leave it all to Resnick? It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”
“And the most selfless,” Joe said. “You walked away because that’s what Eve needed. She needs you. And so instead of getting revenge, you walked away because Eve needed you. You did the right thing, Van. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
Donovan gathered Eve close in his arms, closing his eyes as he pressed his lips to her forehead.
“Come back to me,” he whispered. “Come back to me so I can tell you I love you. So I can tell you I love you every single day of our lives from this point forward.”
CHAPTER 43
THE moment Donovan walked into his home, carrying Eve and flanked by Travis, who had hovered the moment they exited the plane, Cammie launched herself from Sophie’s lap where they’d been sitting on the sofa and ran toward Donovan and Travis.
Travis immediately scooped her up, hugging her fiercely, but Cammie’s gaze was fixed on Eve, her eyes rounded in fear.
“Evie?” Cammie whispered. “What’s wrong with Evie?”
She glanced at Donovan, tears filling her big eyes.
“She’s okay, sweetheart,” Donovan said, hoping God forgave that lie. “She’s just sleeping. She’s very, very tired and we must let her rest.”
Maren walked forward, her forehead creased in concern.
“Not here,” Donovan said in a low voice. “I’ll take her in the bedroom.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward Sophie, sending her a silent message to distract Cammie.