Page 77 of Kylie

“We did.”

I took a breath in, and it was in that moment that everything came crashing down. One second, I was staring at my father; the next, I was leaning over, my palms flat on the counter, my entire body racked with the emotions that slammed me like a wrecking ball. I shook and trembled as the sobs tore through me. I couldn’t stop them. Wasn’t even sure I wanted to.

I didn’t expect my father to ask what was wrong, and he didn’t. No, my dad put his hand on my back and stood there beside me. It was his way of showing that he cared while not prying my feelings out of me. He knew I wouldn’t share them because I rarely ever did. But this … having him there … that was what I needed right then.

“She’s alive, Pop,” I said, my voice thick with the turmoil invading my body.

“I know, son. I know.”

I let the tears fall for a moment, unable to hold them back. I was sure it wouldn’t be the first emotional breakdown I had in the coming days, so it was pointless to fight it. My wife was alive.

It took me a moment to pull myself together, but when I did, I stood tall and wiped my palms down my face. “How’d they take it? The kids. How’d they do when you told them?”

My father cocked an eyebrow. “I’m sure Kate’s comin’ outta her skin. She promised to stay up there until I came to get her.”

My oldest was a strong one; I’d give her that. She’d endured so much, but at the same time, she’d held on to hope when the rest of us had accepted the shitty hand we thought we’d been dealt.

“Go on back in there,” I told my father. “I’ll go get ’em.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” I needed a minute anyway. I wasn’t prone to falling apart, but I was dangerously close to doing just that.

When Pop turned and left, I took a deep breath and headed for the stairs. I took them slowly, attempting to rein in the restlessness I felt. It wasn’t easy. And I got the feeling it wouldn’t be for a while.

When I reached the second floor, I found Kate standing in the doorway to the kids’ playroom, white-knuckling the trim as though it took tremendous force to remain in place.

I stopped in front of the door and dropped down onto my haunches, meeting her gaze.

“Is she here?” The words blew out of her mouth like she’d been holding them in forever.

I nodded.

Before she could race past me, I put my hand up, willing her to wait. “She looks different right now, Kate.”

My daughter’s forehead creased, her eyebrows darting down. “Pop said she would. Is it bad?”

“Not bad,” I lied. “Just different. She’s been through a lot.”

“She was kidnapped,” she said, as though trying to make me understand.

“Pop told you that?”

“No.” She stared at me. “But it’s true. Mommy wouldn’t have left us.”

God, the things this girl had been through. It broke my fucking heart that, not even eight yet, Kate understood where her mother was coming from. After all, it had happened to her, too. Not to the same extent, but she’d certainly experienced a similar trauma when Juliet Prince had kidnapped her.

“You’re right. She wouldn’t have.”

“I want to see her,” she insisted.

“Okay. But let’s not run in there all crazy, okay?”

Kate nodded emphatically and then squeezed around me, heading for the stairs. I got to my feet and looked at four more pairs of eyes watching me intently.

“Come on,” I told them. “Let’s go see Mommy.”

“Where has she been?” Kade prompted, drawing Avery up short before she could dart past me.