Page 78 of Kylie

I stared at my boy and sensed his reluctance. Turning, I met his gaze. “She was taken away and kept somewhere that no one knew about.”

“Why didn’t she sneak out?”

That was a valid question coming from a six-year-old. To him, it would’ve been easy to break free from captivity. After all, he was into superheroes and wouldn’t understand that things weren’t always that easy.

“I’m bettin’ she tried to,” I told him because I wanted him to understand.

“Yeah,” Avery said, agreeing. “But the bad man was too strong.”

“Probably somethin’ like that,” I agreed. “Why don’t we go down and see her? Then tomorrow you can probably ask some of those questions.”

“Why not tonight?” Kade asked.

“Because Mommy’s been gone for a while. Right now, we just need to be glad she’s home.”

“I’m glad,” Avery said, still standing next to her brother.

“I know you are, baby.” I stepped back. “Come on. Let’s go see her.”

When Avery and Kade started down the hall, Haden stopped beside me while Maddox came over and grabbed onto my jeans. Haden didn’t rush to follow, likely didn’t understand the significance of this moment. He’d still been a baby when Kylie was taken. Haden hadn’t even been three at the time. I only prayed that once they saw her, all those memories would come flooding back.

Swinging Maddox into my arms, I let Haden lead the way, taking the stairs slowly, one by one.

When we reached the living room, my heart kicked hard in my chest as I saw Kylie sitting on the couch with Kate practically molded to her. Avery and Kade were on each side, their hands on their mother’s shoulders. The girls were crying. Kade was staring as though he didn’t recognize her, but he wanted to.

I didn’t bother fighting the tears. It was pointless.

Haden took off toward his grandmother, grabbing her hand while his eyes remained on his brother and sisters. No, four-year-old Haden wasn’t quite sure what was going on. His mother had been absent for half his life, so it was to be expected. Still, I got the feeling he sensed she was important to him, but he was understandably cautious.

Kylie ran her hand down Kate’s hair and whispered something to her. A moment later, Kate shifted to the side, but she didn’t go far. It was then that Haden saw her for the first time, and he took a step forward but then a step back into the security of my mother’s embrace.

“It’s okay,” Mom told him. “That’s your mommy. She’s missed you so much.”

Haden peered up at her, then back at Kylie. If he was trying to find the resemblance to the woman in the pictures we kept all over the house, he was likely hard-pressed to find much. Kylie looked drastically different. Especially to a child. Her once golden hair lacked the shine it once had. Her face was gaunt, her cheekbones sharp because of it. Her blue eyes didn’t sparkle the way they used to. She looked as though she’d been starved nearly to death, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she had.

“Hi, Haden,” Kylie said softly, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You’re so big.”

Haden looked up at Gage, then over to Kylie once more.

I could tell it broke her heart. It broke mine, too. But we would get through this. It would take time, but we would.

Still holding Maddox, I glanced over at him. He was clutching his blanket in one hand and playing with the hair on the back of my head with his other. I didn’t see the moment Kylie looked at him because I was focused on him, but I knew when it happened because his eyes widened, and a second later, he reached forward with both arms, as though expecting her to take him.

My heart squeezed painfully tight. I wasn’t sure how, but he recognized her. Maybe it was her voice or merely a connection to the mother he had been so close to before she was taken. Whatever it was, it was a miracle that caused a ripple through the room. A sob sounded from Kylie and possibly Pop, too. Before Kylie could get to her feet, I delivered Maddox to her. He went right into her arms, his arm curling around her neck, his head resting on her shoulder, just as he’d done so many times when…

I took a deep breath, not bothering to wipe the tears trickling down my face. I’d dreamed about this moment, believing deep in my soul that it was lost forever.

Some might say we’d been given a second chance, but in reality, this was my third chance with the woman I loved.

And I had every intention of ensuring the people responsible for taking her from us would pay for their sins. Every last fucking one of them.

Jessica Prescott Walker

“Hey, Jess?”

“In the kitchen,” I called out to Braydon, hearing his footsteps coming my direction.

Wait. I heard his footsteps. Which meant he had on his boots.