I nodded. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”
She eyed me suspiciously. “You do know what just happened, right?”
Yeah, the freaking love of my life, the forbidden one that I couldn’t have, was my one true mate. Talk about karma being a bitch.
I took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m okay,” I assured her, much calmer.
“I’m not sure I am. This is insane. Honestly, I’m surprised you’re taking it this well, and not just this, but Macie too. I always imagined what it would be like when you returned and how I’d tell you about her. I thought you’d freak out. Why are you taking everything so well? This is so much bigger than that.”
“I’m not,” I admitted. “Pretty sure I’m in shock, or just dreaming. That happens a lot.”
She studied me hard like she was trying to decide if I was serious or kidding. “You dream of me?”
I nodded slowly. “I tried so hard to walk away and forget you, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I know you probably think I’m insane, but I still love you, Olivia, and that’s not this bond talking. I’ve always loved you. Only you. And maybe I am just dreaming all of this, but if not, that’s the most important thing I want you to know. I never wanted to leave you.”
Olivia started to cry. It was my Achilles heel. I couldn’t stand to see that woman shed even a single tear and I would always go out of my way to stop it.
“Don’t cry. You know I can’t handle it when you do that.”
I held out my arms and held my breath. She didn’t hesitate to walk right in and wrap her arms around my waist. Just like that, my entire world realigned as if it had been off its axis for a long time, well, for the last eight years at least.
I let myself kiss the top of her head and absorb every ounce of comfort and happiness of having her back in my arms.
“What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t kidding when I told Macie I have to leave when the team rolls out, O. But I’ll be back. I would have struggled to walk away from the two of you as it was, but this changes everything. You are mine.”
She sniffed into my shirt. “I always was,” she whispered.
I looked down at her. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. As I leaned down to kiss her, I heard Macie say very loudly, “Mom’s busy Uncle Killian. Don’t go in there.”
I groaned and Olivia dropped her head onto my chest in equal frustration just as the door opened.
“What is going on here? You swore you weren’t going near her, Baine,” Killian yelled.
I whipped around, shielding Olivia with my body as I gave a growl in warning. Killian stepped back in surprise.
“Things changed quickly after we spoke.”
“Wait, you two actually talked?” Olivia asked hopefully.
“It wasn’t exactly a friendly conversation,” I admitted.
Killian ignored me. “Why isn’t Macie in school?”
My little girl squeezed by him and came to my side as she reached up and took my hand.
“It’s not his fault. I’m the one that skipped school. I just wanted to see him.”
Killian took a step back. “Why?”
“She knows, Killian,” Olivia said. “She heard us last night. She knows everything.”
His eyes quickly sought mine and I nodded.
“Yup, she told me.”
He looked like he was going to be sick. “Why aren’t you angry?”
I shrugged. “Still in shock. I’m sure I’ll get around to it. But make no mistake, Killian, I may have once considered you a brother, but I know the difference now. Come between me and my family again and you will have to kill me this time, if I don’t kill you first.”
Macie looked up at me with those big gray eyes that looked exactly like mine. I winked at her, letting her know it was going to be okay.
She smiled. “He does blow stuff up for a living. I’d be careful if I were you, Uncle Killian.”
Olivia stepped out from around me and a roar started rumbling up through my chest.
“Don’t,” she warned. “No one is killing anyone. Am I clear?” She looked at her brother until he nodded and then to me. I smirked and shrugged. “I mean it. You both mean too much to me to be at war with each other the rest of our lives. Killian, I love you, but you don’t get to protect me anymore.”
“Because that’s my job.”
Olivia smacked me across the chest. “I’m being serious here.”
“I was too,” I grumbled.
“Why? He’s been gone eight years, Liv. You had to raise your daughter all alone. Where was he all this time?”
“That’s rich coming from you.”
My mate huffed.
“You can’t just welcome him back with open arms like nothing ever happened. Be sensible here.”
Olivia calmed. I could feel it and it made me smile even bigger that our new bond was strengthening quickly. “Actually. I can. I’m not a kid this time, Kill. I’m a grown woman and I have a child, and a mate to protect now.” She stepped to my other side and wrapped an arm around my waist.
“You took my sister as a mate? When? How?”
“Not yet. But I will. She’s my true mate, Killian. This time you can’t do anything about it. By your own rules, both Olivia and Macie are excommunicated from the Clan because they are mine. Bet you never thought about that? Because I sure as hell did and it took everything in my power not to come back here and claim her then.”
Olivia looked up at me with a hundred questions in her eyes, but first turned to her brother. “Is that true?”
Killian glared at me. “Yeah, it’s true.” I could hear his teeth grinding as his jaw clenched.
“So Macie has never technically been part of the Clan?”
“Until yesterday you never confirmed her birth father so it wasn’t an issue. We simply filed her lineage away as father unknown.”
I roared and Macie squeezed my hand harder.
“But I do have a Dad and he’s here now.”
“I can see that. I’ll talk to Kano about rescinding the order immediately,” he said through still gritted teeth.
“I’m happy to just take them back home with me.”
Olivia glared up at me. “I think that’s something we are going to have to discuss and decide together. I’m not making any rash or permanent decisions right now.”
My bear was more agitated than I’d ever felt him.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out to check it. “Shit.”
Macie nudged me, but I didn’t have time to correct myself before I answered.
“Where the hell are you?” Silas barked in my ear.
“I’m over at Olivia’s shop.”
“You have got to be shitting me. I thought I made it clear that you were to stay away from that girl. We’re here to help, not cause further trouble.”
“Things changed.”
“Bullshit. Now get your ass back here immediately. We have a lead on Pike.”
“We do?”
“Yes. We leave in twenty and your ass better be here.”
I cringed as the line went silent.