Page 57 of Forever Found
“He’s right. I’m not ending anything. I fucking love that woman,” Kane agreed. “We need to see her.”
“Not yet. I’ll talk to her when I go back to her. If she feels ready then we’ll go from there, but none of us are rushing her, and I’d definitely feel better if you both got some kind of therapist lined up first.”
“I already have the numbers. I’ll make some calls today,” I agreed.
“I’m not seeing a fucking therapist. Been there, tried that.”
“Kane, you have issues, and not just with your over protectiveness. If this thing with Addy is ever going to work, you need to find someone to talk those issues through with,” Asher pressed.
“It doesn’t help, Ash,” Kane groaned.
“It helped me. I can get in touch with the guy I talked to. It could work for you too,” Asher suggested. “You need to do this, Kane, or I’m not sure I can let you see my sister. I won’t risk you hurting her again, the way you have these last weeks. She’s been through enough.”
“You can’t force me into this, asshole,” Kane argued.
“No, I can’t, but if you can’t do this small thing for Addy, do you really think you’re worthy of her?”
“He’s right, Kane,” I agreed. “Just try, for Addy. If you don’t like the guy Asher saw then we can try others. We all need to try and be less fucked up for the girl we love.”
“Fine. I’ll try, but no promises,” Kane gave in.
“Good enough,” Asher nodded. “Now that’s settled I need you to look through these house listings and tell me which is the easiest for you to make secure.” Asher opened his lap top and placed it on the counter before Kane.
“House listings? Doesn’t Addy want to come home?” I worried. Had we really made things that terrible for her that she couldn’t even be there with us?
“None of us are living here. I’m knocking the place down and rebuilding,” Ash said flippantly as he rounded the counter and went for the coffee.
“What? Why?” I gasped.
“Addy doesn’t feel safe here anymore. Eli is struggling after what happened to him here too, and you almost bled out on that front step. I think we could all use a fresh start, and while I do the work, I want us to have a comfortable lease place to live,” he concluded, nodding to where Kane was already studying house listings.
“I thought you and Eli loved this place?” I looked to Ash as I tried to take in what he’d said. Sure, I did struggle with passing the step where I’d laid, so sure it was the end, and I completely understood Addy not feeling safe there after what happened, but still. Knocking the place down seemed excessive.
“We did, but now it just reminds me of the terror we felt when we pulled up in that drive and saw you surrounded by blood. My best friend -my brother – was bleeding out and my little brother and sister were gone, taken by monsters. Jordan hates it here too, because all he sees is you on that step, and Eli hasn’t relaxed here since he got back home. It has to go, and I’m excited to design and build something new. I have plans for something that will better suit our needs now our family has changed.”
“Okay,” I sighed. I couldn’t argue, since I knew he was right. The bad memories stole the good ones from us all in that house now. “Fuck, should I start packing?” I looked around me, knowing packing the whole place up was going to be a mammoth task.
“No. I’ve hired a company that will come in and ship everything to the lease house, then set up as similarly as possible to here. I want the place to be homey when Addy’s ready to come back,” Asher explained.
“When will that be?” Kane asked as he looked between us both.
“I don’t know. She’s not in a good place right now. She’s speaking with her therapist online every day, but she’s barely eating and her sleep is terrible. I don’t want to push her to do anything she’s not ready for,” he explained, and Kane and I nodded. I hated that Addy was in pain and I wasn’t there to soothe her, but it was what I deserved after the way I’d messed everything up.
“Look guys, she’s okay, alright? Let me get back to her and talk. Once she knows you guys want to talk, I’m sure she’ll reach out to you, but whatever happens, you can’t rush her. Whatever Max put her through when he took her, it’s made her past come right back to the surface and she’s so fragile right now. She might just need some time,” Asher went on.
“Whatever she needs, Ash. I understand, but please make sure she knows we love her and we’re here when she’s ready, okay?” I requested and Kane nodded his agreement.
“When are you going back to her?” Kane asked.
“Tomorrow morning. I have a meeting with the architect later and I want to have the lease property paperwork done so we can get the keys.”
“I can get to work on the security as soon as you do. I have interviews with some new staff members later too,” Kane said.
“People you know?” Asher worried.
“Some. Some are recommendations from guys I trust. No matter what I will be digging deep into their backgrounds, financials, everything. I won’t fuck up again, Asher.”
“I know, Kane. I trust you to make the right choices. I want personal protection teams specific to Addy and Eli, so try to choose people they’ll get on with. Two for each of them, so someone will always be with them. I’m not taking any more risks, and before you say it, I know you want to be Addy’s protection, but I think it’s better you resume your duties as head of security and let someone else be on Addy. You can’t be her boyfriend and her guard. I think we proved that already,” Asher warned and Kane reluctantly nodded.