Page 75 of Broken Discipline

“I don’t deserve her,” I said, anger seeping into my tone.

“Shut up and—”

“She married him because I left her alone,” I howled. “Ifailedher.”

Those words stung my chest. A wave of empathy washed over my father’s eyes. He leaned back.

“If you aren’t going to take her back, then you mustprotecther, Hyde.”

Two worlds of rage warred inside of me. I was glad that she had someone who could provide for her while I was gone, but I also wanted to kill him for it. I wanted to rip her from that world and give her a real life, one that made sense for both of us.

But Kylie had run away because I was gone. I couldn’t blame her for that.

But I could blame myself.

“Become a member of the Marked Blooms Syndicate,” my father said, hitting my back. “Rewrite your future. Take control of what’s yours.”

If Kylie thought Bruce Astley was the man for her, then that was her decision. I had fucked up. I had let her down. It was my fault she was with him.

I didn’t deserve her.

But I would be a part of my children’s life. I would watch them grow up from afar, protect them at all costs, even if that meant joining a secret society I didn’t trust.

And I would always be there, watching her too.

CHAPTER 18

present

Finn

“Hyde,” she said. “You came back.”

Her voice was delicate, like the broken wing of a bird. I kept my eyes steady on her, blocking every emotion out. But no matter how hard I tried, my body tingled. Everything was falling into place.

And it all led back to her.

“My name is Finn Carter,” I said.

“And I’m Ramona Astley on paper, but you keep calling me Kylie.”

That had been my mistake, letting myself slip into our old selves.

“Why didn’t I see it before?” she asked.

I had put on layers upon layers of muscles, grown out my body and facial hair, and worn contact lenses. Adding that to her memory issues, it wasn’t surprising that she didn’t recognize me. And if she didn’t know that I had once been Hyde Griffin, then she wouldn’t have any of her previous power over me.

She held my face in her small palms and it tore me up inside. I had almost lost her again. I pulled my head out of her hands, turning away.

“Where have you been all of this time, Griffin?” she whispered.

“That’s not who I am anymore.”

“Carter.Your dad’s first name. Just like you said you’d change it.” She smacked her head. “Why didn’t I put it together? I tried so hard to forget you. It was too hard to see your face in the twins, knowing you were gone.” Her whole body shook, and I clenched my fists. I had told her I would always take care of her. Even if I screwed up once, I never gave up on keeping that promise. “I was so sure you were dead.”

I sucked in a breath. In a way, I had died. Hyde Griffin had been soft and emotional. But when it came to Finn Carter, the man I was now? Those weaknesses couldn’t stop me anymore.

And I was never going to stop fighting for her.