Page 88 of Oathbreaker

And Colt.

And me.

I don’t know how he even sensed something was wrong—turning away from me in the middle of a sentence, instinct sending him down the beach before I could blink.

Then I had.

And I saw it.

The unusually large wave shooting up the shoreline, taking Frankie by surprise because it was so much bigger than the others had been where she was playing. It swept forward, dragging her under and out into the ocean between one breath and the next.

She was just…gone.

Then Colt was rushing in after her, plucking her from the frothy whitewash, the heavy wave that was churning up sand, turning the already dark and cold water into something impossible to see through.

But he had seen through it.

He had found her.

Before I even reached the water, he had Frankie in his arms and was marching up the beach.

I hadn’t even had time to think.

To panic.

One second, she was gone and the next, she was safe.

Colt carrying her up the beach.

“Daddy?” I hear as we’re leaving Frankie’s room after giving her a bath, getting her fed, and tucking her into bed…and spending a lot of time reassuring her (and ourselves) that she’s safe.

Let’s just say that my daughter had plenty of ice cream and cuddle time.

“Yeah, honey?” Colt murmurs from next to me, immediately reversing course and moving back into her room.

Daddy.

That does something to my heart—settles deep, opens it wide…and I give in.

Who am I kidding?

I’ve been giving in from the moment Colt slipped out of the shadows.

Now seeing my daughter do the same, watching the gentle way he tucks her in, smooths back her hair…gives into her plea for him to read just one more book.

Something that definitely won’t be just one more.

And…it’s done.

Colt used to be the man I loved.

Now he’s the one I love.

I close my eyes as that feeling ripples through me.

Then I exhale quietly and leave them to their moment.

I get ready for bed, knowing that Colt is going to be right beside me, that he’s going to hold me close.