We stayed pulled over for a long time. Darius held me tightly in the driver’s seat, his powerful arms trembling slightly as the reality of finding Eden sank in. I stroked his dark hair, letting him process the years of grief and searching that were finally nearing an end.
“I promised her I would keep her secret,” I whispered. “But I don’t have to protect her from you. You would never hurt her.”
He nodded against my shoulder. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”
We eventually returned to the road, turning toward Colorado. The landscape gradually changed as we left the flat Kansas plains and began climbing toward the mountains. Darius was quieter than usual, but his hand never left mine. Every so often he would glance over, as if making sure I was real.
I understood his silence. Findin
