Footsteps approached us then.
“Katherine!” Drew knelt beside me. “Are you okay?” His lip was split, and it looked like his left eye was already swelling, but he was here. He was okay.
I nodded and tried to speak, but my throat strained, and I coughed.
“It’s okay, darlin’.” Drew placed one hand underneath the area between the nape of my neck and shoulder as he helped me sit up. “Don’t talk. You’ll only make it worse.”
“You motherfucking …” Adrian spat a few feet away from where he sat in the dirt, clutching his leg. “You fucking stabbed me!”
“You’re lucky that’s all she did,” Drew spat back at him, softly rubbing his hand along my back.
“P—Pearl?” I asked in a raspy whisper that had me coughing again.
Drew glanced over his shoulder and turned enough to let me see around him. “She’s okay. Worried about you, but she’s okay. She’s with Mack now.”
I spotted her standing across the way with Mack beside one of the SUVs. He held a rag or something up to her head where Hunter had hit her. When she saw me looking, she gave me a small smile that I returned with one of my own.
She was okay.She’s okay.A weight lifted from my chest.
My father approached with his men as they surrounded Adrian, who didn’t have anywhere to go with the dagger protruding from his thigh.
Roman ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, trying to tame the disheveled strands, and crossed his arms over his large chest. There was a slash of dried blood on his split lip, but other than that, he looked unharmed.
“You did good, Katherine,” my father said, nodding at the dagger in Adrian’s leg. “We’ll take it from here.”
“Are you sure?” Drew asked because I couldn’t. “What’re you going to do with him?”
Roman nodded again to one of his men who grabbed the dagger and yanked it from Adrian’s leg. He screamed and covered the open wound with both hands as it gushed with blood.
“He’ll be made an example of,” Roman grumbled, “but that’s nothing you’ll have to worry about.” He glanced down at me, his dark eyes filled with concern. “He’ll never bother you again.”
My shoulder sagged at his words, and I took in a shaky breath.
I didn’t want to know what my father meant by that. Even though there was a part of me that knew Adrian wouldn’t survive it.
That should have made me feel guilty, but all I felt was relief. I was relieved to know that I wouldn’t constantly have to look over my shoulder for fear that Adrian might be there. That he would no longer be the dark shadow that followed me.
“Go with Mack,” my father said. His voice had softened as he looked at me. “He’ll take you back to the house. I’ll meet you there after I take care of him.”
Drew helped me stand, but I paused and looked back at my father, catching a glimpse of the man he used to be.
Behind the anger and hardness of his features, he was still my dad. He was still the man I’d looked up to as a little girl. The man I’d gone to for guidance and comfort.
He had made mistakes, big mistakes, but nothing that couldn’t eventually be forgiven.
And I wanted to forgive him. I just needed time.
I tipped my head down in a nod and let Drew help me walk back to where Mack and Pearl stood by one of the SUVs. Before I could reach them, Pearl closed the distance between us and pulled me into her arms.
Solace filled me, and I melted into her embrace. She was finally safe.
“You did so good, honey,” she said. “Now it’s time to move on.”
I nodded, tears filling my eyes at her words. It was time to move on, and I was more than ready.
Pearl slipped her arm in mine as we got inside the back of the SUV. Mack got into the driver’s seat, and Drew in the passenger.
Silence settled around us. I exhaled a breath that made my throat burn and relaxed against the cushioned seat.
