Page 52 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)

Grudges were heavy things. He’d been carrying his own for so long he barely noticed it anymore.

But seeing these kids, their hearts calcified by pain and betrayal, made him wonder what his own heart looked like from the inside.

How much space had bitterness taken up? How many opportunities for healing had slipped by because he couldn’t let go?

Maybe Jordan could learn to forgive.

And maybe so could he.

“You know,” Corbin said, “the hardest part isn’t forgiving someone else. It’s admitting you need that forgiveness too.” He stared at his hands, surprised by his own words.

Blade was quiet for a moment, then asked, “You gonna visit your old man anytime soon?”

Corbin dragged a hand through his hair, glancing toward Luna. She leaned her back on the wall, still on the phone. He exhaled. “I’m thinking about it.”

Blade didn’t press. He just nodded once, like he understood.

Maybe he did.

Luna’s hand rested on his thigh as they drove home. “I feel bad ... kicking you out of your own place,” she said. “You sure you don’t want me to stay with Tori?”

“It’s fine.” He brushed his thumb over her hand. “Blade’s been a great roommate. Though I swear, that guy’s going through my prepped meals like he’s never eaten a home-cooked meal in his life.”

Luna’s lips twitched in a small smile. “Well, at least someone’s getting use out of your cooking. I’m pretty useless in the kitchen.”

“We’re keeping everyone safe, which is what matters.” His eyes flicked to her, his expression softening. “And we’re doing the right thing.” This time he wanted to do it God’s way.

The US Marshals nodded as they entered through the garage, their presence a reminder of the danger still lurking.

Powerful people with more money than conviction and desperate to save their skin.

They definitely had a target on their backs.

But even that couldn’t dampen the warmth that filled him as he stepped inside.

The house was alive in a way it had never been before. Soft music drifted from the kitchen, mingling with the sound of laughter. The smell of something baking filled the air.

“Hey, Dad.” Trinity’s voice rang out, followed by the sound of footsteps thundering down the hall.

Dad. The word still sent a thrill through him, even if it felt strange to hear. Just a few days ago, she’d started calling him that—and Luna “Mom”—as if the titles had always belonged to them.

Trinity barreled into him, and Corbin caught her in a hug.

Her strength surprised him. Only weeks ago, she’d been so frail he wouldn’t have imagined her sprinting down a hallway, much less slamming into him full force.

The new heart was still a question mark, but her recovery felt nothing short of miraculous.

He held her close, marveling at how quickly she’d wormed her way into his heart. “Hey, kiddo,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “What have you been up to?”

“Summer’s teaching me how to bake,” Trinity said. “We’re making cookies. Real ones, not that health food junk you keep in the pantry.”

Corbin laughed, a deep belly laugh that chased away the last of the day’s shadows. “Is that so?”

Summer ducked her head out of the kitchen, a streak of flour on her cheek. She looked uncertain, still finding her place in this new dynamic. “I hope that’s okay. We, um, we wanted to surprise you.”

“It’s more than okay. This is your home.” He held out an arm, inviting her into the embrace. After a moment’s hesitation, she joined them.

Luna wrapped her arms around all of them, completing the circle.

The timer on the oven dinged, and Summer hurried to pull out a tray of golden-brown cookies. The smell of chocolate and vanilla filled the air. Trinity bounced on her toes, eager to taste their creation.

“Careful, they’re hot,” Summer warned, but Trinity was already reaching for one.

“Ow!” she yelped, dropping the cookie back onto the tray. “Why didn’t you tell me they were hot?”

Summer rolled her eyes, but there was affection in her voice. “I literally just did, dummy.”

“Hey, no name-calling,” Corbin said automatically, then paused. When had he become this person? This ... dad ?

Luna caught his eye, a knowing smile on her face. She understood. This was unfamiliar territory for both of them, but somehow, it felt right.

As they settled around the kitchen island, cookies cooling on a rack and glasses of milk poured, Corbin took a moment to really look at his family.

Trinity, all energy and sass, her eyes bright with mischief. The scar on her chest, a reminder of all she’d been through, was barely visible beneath the collar of her shirt. But her smile was wide and genuine. Not the angry, scared girl they’d first met.

Summer, more reserved but with a quiet strength that reminded Corbin so much of Luna. She was still finding her footing, still learning to trust that this was real, that she belonged. But there was a softness in her eyes now, a tentative hope.

And Luna. Wow, Luna. She caught him staring and raised an eyebrow, a silent question. He just shook his head, overwhelmed by the love that washed over him.

“So,” Trinity said. “When do I get to go back to school? Because as much as I love being stuck in this house with you lovebirds, I’m getting antsy.”

Corbin chuckled. “Soon, I hope. The marshals are working on a security plan. We want to make sure it’s safe before we send you.”

“What about me?” Summer looked down and picked at the cookie in her hand. “I was supposed to go to college after my internship, but my parents ... I mean, the Reeves, they were going to pay for it. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

Summer’s whole life had been turned upside down. Her adoptive parents, the only family she’d ever known, were facing serious charges. They’d cut off all communication, scapegoating Summer for their arrests. The future the young woman had worked so hard for was suddenly uncertain.

“Whatever you want,” Luna said, reaching out to take Summer’s hand. “You’re not alone in this, sweetheart. We’ll figure it out together.”

Summer nodded, blinking back tears. “I just ... I don’t know who I am anymore. Everything I thought I knew about myself, about my life ... it was all a lie.”

Corbin’s heart ached for her. He knew that feeling all too well. “Not everything,” he said. “The person you are, the kindness and strength you’ve shown ... that’s all you. Your parents didn’t give you that. God did.”

“He’s right,” Trinity chimed in, her mouth full of cookie. She swallowed and continued. “You’re pretty cool, for an old person.”

“Old?” Summer laughed, the tension breaking. “We’re the exact same age!”

“Yeah, but I’m finishing high school and you’re going to college, which makes you ancient.”

Summer rolled her eyes and tossed a chunk of cookie at Trinity.

As the girls bickered playfully, he felt Luna’s hand slide over his back. He turned to her, seeing his own emotions mirrored in her eyes. Joy, love, a touch of fear. This was all so new, so fragile. But also so incredibly right.

“We’re really doing this, huh?” he murmured, low enough that only she could hear.

She smiled, that soft, secret smile that had always been just for him. “Looks like it. You ready for this, Agent King?”

He thought about the man he’d been just a few weeks ago. Alone, driven by a need to prove himself, always looking over his shoulder for the ghost of his father. That man would have run from this, from the messy, complicated beauty of family.

But he wasn’t that man anymore.

“More than ready.” And he sealed the promise with a kiss.

The moment was broken by twin sounds of disgust from the girls.

“Ugh, get a room.” Trinity groaned.

“Seriously,” Summer agreed. “There are children present.”

Corbin laughed, pulling Luna closer. This was his family. Messy and complicated and absolutely perfect.

“Our children,” he said, the words sending a thrill through him. “God help us all.”