Page 81 of Blood

“You have been for a while,” Dad acknowledges. “I just never imagined it was because of this.” He waves his arm vaguely, but we both know what he means.

“It wasn’t always.” I shake my head. “The past few years, our relationship has been . . .” I shrug because the man needs to hear about me falling in love with his daughter about as much as I want to talk about it.

Dad cringes but motions upstairs. “The longer you leave her, the worse it’ll be. Go talk to her.”

I push back from the table and stand.

“And Kaleb,” Dad calls.

I wait at the bottom of the stairs, my heart beat picking up. “Don’t let Helen hear you calling her by her first name. It’ll crush her heart. We’re your mom and dad. We love you no matter what.”

I nod, my chest expanding as the vise gripping my heart finally releases.

“I love you, too, Dad.”

I knock lightly on my parents’ door. It kills me to wait, but Mom opens the door a few seconds later.

“Hi.”

Lame, Kaleb.

I wait with bated breath. Will Mom react the same as Dad?

Soft lavender perfume surrounds me as I’m pulled into a deep hug.

“Have you spoken to your dad?”

Quickly wiping away tears, I nod.

“Good.” She smiles, and her fingers join mine in drying my face.

“Are you going to make this right? I don’t like seeing any of my kids cry, never mind two.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I promise.

“Any news on Shelby?”

I shake my head. “We’re going to the hospital once I fix this.”

Mom nods. “I’ll be downstairs with your dad.”

I wait for her to leave before closing the door and approaching the bed.

“Don’t,” Sam yells the minute my hand touches her back.

I ignore it as she tries to shrug me off. I rub her back until her breathing settles.

“Shelby and Riley?” she asks, her voice muffled in the pillow.

“Riley is perfect, not a scratch on her. Shelby . . . is alive. I don’t know the extent of her injuries. I wanted to get back to you.”

I lean down and press a kiss to her covered shoulder.

“Don’t,” she snaps, rolling onto her back. “We did this.”

“Kyle Cooper did this,” I correct gently.

“While trying to get at us.”