“But I want to. That’s my problem,” he admitted with a little squeeze to her fingers.
“E’s the same way, Tar,” Lacey confirmed. “And she’s right. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do but listen.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“True.” Lacey smiled.
Keeley clasped his hand tighter. “First, I told Dad how much he hurt me.” Her eyes shot to Lacey’s. “Mom encouraged that.” Lacey gave a reassuring nod. “Anyway, I spilled my guts, especially when it came to that low life David.” Her breath hitched and Tar recognized the trigger.
“Easy, Tigress. He can’t hurt you anymore. Not now, not ever.” His voice held the lifeline she needed. Again, Tar found himself wishing that son of a bitch were still alive so he could kill him with his bare hands. Truth be known, he wasn’t all too fond of her dad either and was more than grateful he was no longer alive.
“Kee, stop.” Lacey stood and hugged her hard. “You don’t have to do this.”
Keeley loved her sister so much, and at that moment even more. “Lacey, you can’t take responsibility for my actions. I did what I did, the reasons behind it aren’t important. I can’t heal completely if I don’t own my part. No one made me continue using drugs. No one forced alcohol down my throat.” She swallowed hard and stared at Tar’s feet. “And no one made me fuck for the sake of forgetting how I was used.”
He lifted her chin and locked his gaze to hers. “I love you, Keeley Ann Kincaid. All of you.”
Not that Tar needed them, but he just scored major brownie points with Lacey Strand in that moment. All she ever wanted for her sister was a man who saw her value and treasured her for the gift she was. Keeley had found him, or he found Keeley. Didn’t matter. Point was, they were perfect for each other. “You’re a good man, Tarius McNeil,” she affirmed.
His eyes still on Keeley. “I’m blessed. And I will cherish,” he leveled a look at Lacey, “her until I take my last breath.”
“Yeah, I know you will.”
Keeley leaned over and kissed the side of Tar’s mouth. “You’re incredible. And I’m beyond madly in love with you.” She took a deep cleansing breath, knowing she needed to go on with what happened before she couldn’t. She stood and paced. “Most important, no one made me like pain.”
Lacey popped out of her chair. “I beg to differ.”
Keeley blew out a heavy breath and thought about that for a minute. She’d never once craved pain until Caleb Reynolds gave it as a way to counter the detox she was going through. So maybe, just maybe that one wasn’t all on her. She readdressed, “No one made me self-harm. That’s all me, Lacey.” She’d been doing it for years, a way to control. The pain part was recent when she accidently discovered self-induced agony fed her addiction. And that demon was still searching for a new way to claim her. She could still feel him, and knew that battle wasn’t over.
Lacey stood there looking down at her sister. “I’m so fucking proud of you!” Then she grabbed her and pulled her in tight.
A few minutes passed as the sisters cried and embraced before Keeley finished what she needed to tell the two most important people in her life. “So, I forgave Dad with Mom at my side. As in,” her gaze rose to Lacey’s, “I actually spoke those words out loud.”
Tar’s turn to stand. He nodded his head at Lacey and then pulled Keeley into his big arms, lifting her up. The kiss was reverent. A true thing of beauty to behold. Love poured out of them and Lacey could feel its warmth all around her. Light so breathtaking encompassed them, like the sun breaking after a horrible storm. Lacey would never forget such a visual. And found herself craving her husband’s arms around her. Everyone deserved to know true love. The kind of love that says: no matter how hard it gets—I am all in.
Mitch sat studying the video that just arrived. Pamela walked in and he noticed the slight cock to her head. “Where was this taken?” she inquired.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he replied.
“Well, I’m trying to figure out why Dr. Thompson isn’t up at the lodge, because I can guarantee that’s not where this was shot.”
“Interesting. See anything else?”
“I can’t make out any more.” She sighed.
“My gut says, whoever is in the background there,” pointing at the screen, “is the key to this.”
“You can’t zoom in?”