Page 99 of Lightning Angel
Tristan turned to face her, dropping his hands from his hair. “Do you know what I would give at this moment to havemymother with me, even for a single minute? But you, you have one, and you don’t realize her cost. Angel, this particular piece of your heart can’t be mended until youallowit to be mended. The first step toward that process is forgiveness, and the first step towardforgivenessis giving her a chance to prove herself.”
His honesty pierced through her, but his words sank into her heart all the same. He was so right; she couldn’t deny a word he said. And for the first time in the last seven years, the veil lifted from her eyes.
“Oh, Tristan.” Tears blurred her vision. She stepped forward and hugged him. “I’m so sorry.”
Tristan didn’t say anything. Instead, he held her tight to him, nestling his face into her hair.
“I’m so sorry. I’ll go and visit her, I promise.”
“I don’t want you to do it for me, love.”
“No, but I didn’t realize it until you pointed it out.” She pulled back and lifted her teary gaze to his. “Thanks for being honest with me. I didn’t see itthatway before. I have been so blind with mysupposedhatred to realize that she was still our mother, our only remaining parent. I’m so sorry if I hurt you—Ididhurt you. I can see I did.Oh, Tristan…”
She buried her head back in his chest.
“It’s okay, it’s alright, love,” Tristan said in a cajoling tone as he ran his fingers through her hair. “I just didn’t want you to miss out on what you already have, but to embrace it before you realize it’s too late and regret it. DidIhurt you?” He tried to look at her face but she refused to pull back. “Angel?”
“Just hold me,” she mumbled against his shirt. “Please.”
Tristan held her close and kissed her hair. “Of course, love.”
Silence settled between them. Warmth enveloped her, comfort wrapped around her, and Tristan’s love bathed her. She loved the feel of his fingers playing with her hair. Being in his arms felt so…right,as if it was where she truly belonged. She felt more at home than she already did at home.
A long, comfortable moment later, Alexa broke their silence. “You did not hurt me,” she murmured. “It was just that… I couldn’t bear the thought thatIhurtyou.”
“You did not hurt me, angel.” Tristan kissed her hair again and again. “I just got a little emotional, because I didn’t want you to lose what you have. I’m sorry I made you feel like that.”
“It’s okay.”
“Oh, Alexa,” he called her name with a sigh.
Her heart brimmed with affection for him. “I wanna pay her a visit.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“And you’re doing it for you, not me?”
Alexa pulled back to look at him. “You helped me realize I was wrong, and I want to walk down this path offorgiveness if giving my mother a chance to prove herself is the first step into it.”
Tristan’s eyes turned incredibly tender. “Oh, you beautiful, brave, darling woman,howI adore you.” He pressed his forehead to hers and brushed the tip of her nose with his. “When do you wanna go?”
“How about tomorrow?” Alexa bit her lip from grinning like an idiot at his words.
He arched an eyebrow. “But you have school tomorrow.”
“Mr. Highsmith would probably think I was too offended to make it.” She shrugged. “Willyoube free? If so, we should leave in the morning.”
“Of course, we can leave in the morning. And when you return and tell Cassie how your visit went, hopefully, she’ll thaw enough to give your mother a chance, too.”
“I hope so.” She sighed. “Do you think we’ll be able to catch my mom free? I don’t want to visit her at her house, so her workplace is the only option.”
“If we don’t catch her tomorrow, we’ll keep trying until we succeed. Now,” Tristan said with a contented sigh. “Let me just hold you. Close your eyes,” he crooned in her ear and she obliged with a smile.
Gravity shifted beneath them. The chill of the night wrapped around Alexa and she opened her eyes to take in their surroundings.
They were on the terrace of her house.