Page 35 of The Stolen Dagger

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

KATHERINE

“ T hat’s the last of it,” Drew said, shutting the back passenger-side door of his truck.

Three days had passed since we made sure Adrian was out of my life for good.

Drew and I spent most of that time in Las Vegas packing up the things I had left behind at my old house. Pearl also helped between all the sexual innuendos she aimed at us. But it was nice spending that time with her after everything that happened.

Now, we stood outside Roman’s mansion with Drew’s truck packed up with the last of my things, ready to go back to Oklahoma.

Drew turned to say goodbye to Mack and Roman, shaking their hands in that way all men do. They shared hushed words between them, but from where I stood, I couldn’t make out what was said.

I had said goodbye to Pearl the day before, but I already missed her. I laughed to myself, remembering her parting words.

“Now, I don’t want you to worry about little old me while you’re down there in Oklahoma,” Pearl had joked in a twain accent. “You’ve got your whole life ahead of you now, and with that hunk by your side, I want you to enjoy it.”

I had chuckled and said, “Thank you, Pearl. For everything.”

She had wrapped me in a big hug. “I’d do it all over again if I had to.”

I had nodded, knowing that was absolutely true.

Pearl had smiled sadly, accentuating the wrinkles around her mouth, and said, “Your mother would be so proud of you.”

I had given her one last hug, blinking back tears, and promised to visit her soon.

I believed her when she said Mom was proud of me, wherever she was, but hearing it from Pearl was just as reassuring.

I need to remember to call her when I make it back to Oklahoma.

“Katherine?” Roman called out, breaking through my thoughts of Pearl. He stood a few feet from me, hope shining through his concerned expression.

“I know I haven’t been around much these last few days, but I wanted to give you time to consider what I asked of you.”

I nodded. Even though we stayed at my father’s mansion, I had barely seen him these last few days. I guessed being a mafia boss was demanding work.

“My biggest regret was not being there for you and your mother when you needed me most. I can’t change the past, but I’m hoping I can eventually make it up to you.

With this life,” he gestured around him and to the mansion behind him, “ I’m not a good man, but I want to be for you.

I’d like to be a part of your new life, if you’ll let me. ”

Over the last few days, I had thought constantly about his request. I knew he was going to ask me again, and I wanted to be ready for it.

It was hard because it felt like he wanted to put everything that had happened in the past behind him, including my mother, and that wasn’t what I wanted.

When I first got here, I was so angry with him. For years, I’d been consumed with resentment at the fact that he’d left us.

Now, as I looked into his dark brown eyes that reflected mine, I realized I didn’t want to hold on to that hurt and anger anymore.

For my mom’s sake, I wanted to let go.

“I have thought about what you said.” I took a deep breath, preparing to say my next words.

“But you have to know that for years, I thought you abandoned us because you didn’t want to deal with us anymore—that you didn’t love us.

And seeing you again after almost five years was like reliving that hurt all over again.

But I want to forgive you. I want to move forward. ”

Roman’s broad shoulders sagged, and he let out a relieving breath. “Thank you, sweetheart. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Then he wrapped his arms around me in a loose hug. It was awkward and over just as quickly as it started, but it was nice.

He stepped back. “After the heat from Adrian dies down, I’d like to come visit you. See the life you’ve made for yourself.”

Despite what I said, it would be hard to see him and not be reminded of everything he did, but his interest in wanting to be in my life showed he was trying .

I gave my father a small smile. “I think I need some more time before that happens, but I’d like that.”

“Of course.” Roman smiled, defining the lines around his mouth. “ I look forward to that day. I’ll be in touch soon, Katherine.”

As we stepped away, the weight that I had been carrying around with me since he left us lifted from my shoulders. That feeling of relief at forgiving my father was comforting.

“Well, little bird,” Mack approached, replacing where my father had just been, “looks like I’ll be seeing more of you now that you found your old man.

Just make sure you keep your head on a swivel.

You never know when some low-life might be following you around.

” His deep chuckle at his ironic words made me giggle.

“Thanks for looking out for me, Mack.” I pulled him in for a hug, which he returned awkwardly by patting my back twice and then pulling away.

Mack nodded and stepped around me to stand next to my father.

“You ready to go home, darlin’?” Drew asked with his hand outstretched beside his truck.

“I’m ready.”

I accepted Drew’s hand as he helped me into the truck cab. I turned back to Mack and my father and gave them one last wave as we pulled out and away from Roman’s mansion.

After a few miles on the road, I shifted in my seat and faced the man who had wormed his way into my life and my heart since the beginning of this.

“Thank you, Drew.” I threaded my fingers through his as they lay on the center console. “Thank you for coming here, for not leaving when I told you about Adrian, and for not giving up on me. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

He gave my hand a little squeeze. “You would have done what you always do: Survive. I’ve said this before, but you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Katherine. You always have been. You never needed me for that.”

Drew brought our interlocked hands up to his mouth and placed a chaste kiss on my knuckles.

“As for staying by your side,” he smiled lazily, “there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

I’m a stubborn man when it comes to you, Katherine.

I knew from the moment we met that you were mine and I was yours.

There was never a doubt in my mind that we’d be anything else to one other but everything.

” Drew looked away from the road and wiggled his dark eyebrows at me.

“Besides, I knew you’d finally come to your senses. No one can resist my undeniable charm.”

I laughed. The feeling was genuine and carefree, and it was all because of him.

The man who had become a source of light and comfort in my darkest days. The man who gave me the courage to step out of the shadows of my past. The man who had captured my heart when I thought it had been locked away forever.

“I love you, Drew,” I proclaimed without even thinking. The need to get the words out right then and there practically overwhelmed any other rational thought.

Drew turned to me with a look of adoration on his ruggedly handsome face. The emotion that filled his deep green eyes struck me. “I love you, Katherine. More and more every day.”

He reached over and stole a quick kiss before settling his eyes back on the road. We sat in contented silence as he drove.

For the first time in over a year, I felt adored and safe and hopeful for the future. I was right where I was supposed to be, right beside the man who I was supposed to be with. That feeling settled around me like a warm embrace .

And as I looked out the window toward the early morning horizon, I immediately found the waning moon that slowly faded off into the distance of the light blue sky. It was almost completely gone with the rising sun, but I could still see its familiar shape.

At that moment, I knew my mom was there with me just as she had always been, looking down on me, grateful that I found my peace, just as I hoped she’d found hers.