Page 53 of Wreck and Ruin
There are no signs of the man I came to know so well over the past eighteen years. This is a man undone, the product of a chase fueled by endless, insurmountable heartache and grief.
His notorious, tough exterior, forgotten.
Airlie stares into my eyes, voicelessly conveying that she isn't ready to speak to him yet. Titan will just have to get used to it because my girl doesn’t have to talk to anyone unless she wants to. And when she’s ready, I’ll be with her every step of the way.
“Sir, this is your daughter,” I say, and suddenly, I’m overcome with a rush of nervousness and a type of possessiveness that I’ve never felt before.
Wide, afflicted eyes lock onto mine, and I feel like a young boy again. This man raised me, and I’m not going to pretend that he’ll be remotely pleased with Airlie and me being together.
Too fucking bad for him because I'm not going anywhere.
She ismine.
His eyes fall to Airlie, then back up to me—thoughts whirling within his mind a hundred miles a minute. Instinctively, I strengthen my hold on her, and she snuggles into my blood-soaked chest in response.
I will always respect Titan, and while I am grateful to him for saving my life all those years ago, putting a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my stomach, over my dead fucking body, will I ever give this beautiful woman up.
He must catch my protectiveness of her because his face transforms from bewilderment to something unreadable.
“My…my daughter?I—I have a daughter.” It’s a statement, not a question. His voice is trembling, taking me aback a little.
Then again, I understand.
I, too, know what it’s like to have her taken from me, and I made a right dick of myself in theoverly emotionaldepartment.
“Are—are you okay? Is she okay?” he questions, his face etched with worry as he examines his daughter.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing him so rudderless and lost.
I look down at Airlie, searching her expression for signs that she may like to talk, and I smile when I see her nibbling her bottom lip.
She’s curious.
I don’t want to pressure her, so I just smile. She knows that she is safe with me and that I'll be right here by her side no matter what happens, whether she decides to speak or not.
“I’m okay,” she rasps, her voice barely above a whisper. Tears brim in her eyes, but they’re not tears of sadness. Titan is the only other person she’s spoken to, and one day, she’ll tell me why.
Or not.
She will always get a choice with me.
Tears fall unchecked from Titan’s eyes, and he buries his head in his hands and cries. I kneel before him, not wanting him to be alone in this.
This man is my family.
He looks up at us, now level with him, and Airlie reaches out her hand, blood still trickling from the holes where the nails were, and presses it gently to Titan’s cheek.
“I’m Airlie,” she says, and I see the similarities in their eyes.
I don’t know how I didn’t see it before. Where Titan’s hair is dark and peppered with silver, Airlie’s is red, the color of pomegranate. But they share the same eyes.
“Airlie, she named you Airlie,”Titan says, then pauses, gathering his emotions before continuing. “Airlie was my mother’s name.She died.”
Airlie’s hand is still pressed to Titan’s face, a strange gesture, but that’s just her, and I love her for it.
“My mother—” her words cut off. As if saying the words out loud will make it seem too real, she’s already been through enough. I decide that I will help her, and Titan deserves to know.
“Charlotta’s gone, Titan. I’m sorry.”
