Redemption Hills: The Complete Collection

3. Milo

THREE

MILO

What the fuck was I thinking?

I stormed into my bedroom, slammed the door shut behind me, and drove my fingers into my hair. I started to pace, nothing but a madman tearing up the floor.

Of all the goddamn ideas I could have, I had to go and invite her to stay here? Hell, I’d all but demanded it.

And I’d done it already knowing having her here last night had nearly pushed me to a boiling point.

The entire night, I’d been torn between sitting in the corner of the guest room and watching her sleep to make sure she was fine and whole and hopping into my truck and taking a quick jog back into town so I could hunt a motherfucker down.

Ruin him for daring to touch on that beauty.

For tainting it.

Marring it.

I paced the other direction, doing my best to get my shit together. I needed to actually be there for her instead of inciting the type of mess there was no chance she would be prepared for.

I’d made the snap decision to ask her to stay here when I’d caught a glimpse of what that asshole had texted her, sure there would be no letting her out of my sight.

There was no taking it back now.

I had to suck it up.

Pretend like the woman didn’t needle into places I couldn’t let her go.

Support her like the friend I was supposed to be.

Inhaling a steadying breath, I forced myself to focus. I strode through the ensuite bathroom and into the closet on the opposite side so I could at least find something for her to change into. Suffice it to say her parading around in my shirt was not gonna do.

There was a drawer in the built-in chest that I tended to stuff odds and ends into. My mom loved hanging out on the dock, and she was constantly leaving crap behind.

I opened it and started to rummage around to find her something that might work, tossing old pieces of random clothing out of the way. I stalled out when my fingers brushed on the worn fabric tucked at the very back.

Recognition hit me so fast it punched the air from my lungs.

Agony raced in to take its place, filling my chest cavity to the point of bursting.

Warily, I pulled out the small pair of yoga pants.

Hidden away.

Forgotten.

Except there was no fucking chance I could ever forget.

I turned around and slumped back against the drawers, bringing the fabric to my nose and inhaling deep.

A tiny giggle rippled from her lips, her smile pure adoration. “I know you better than you think I do, Milo Hendricks.”

He could only smile back, propped on an elbow as he gazed down at her where she lay on their bed. “Is that so?” he teased.

“It’s very so and so very plain to see how much you love me.”

His heart soared, and he touched her face. “More than you’ll ever know. Forever and always.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered as I balled the fabric tighter and pressed it deeper against my face.

Like it could stand as a bridge back to her.

“I’m so fucking sorry.”

Sorrow whispered and howled from the darkness.

From that void that would forever live on.

From the place where I’d destroyed the one beautiful thing that had ever been offered to me.

Forcing the torment down, I stuffed the yoga pants back into the very back of the drawer and rifled through until I found an old shirt and some shorts of my mom’s that would have to do until we could get Tessa something better.

Then I slammed the drawer shut and moved back out into the main living space, slowing my footsteps as I eased toward the hall on the opposite end. My heart that was already feeling flayed got chopped to shit when I saw Tessa wasn’t at the door to the room where I’d placed her last night, but rather was standing in the doorway to the one at the far end of the hall.

Her hand was still on the knob, the girl frozen in confusion as she stared inside.

Or maybe she’d just gotten snagged on every mistake I’d ever made.

Every misstep.

Every failure.

Every sin.

A slow, dense intensity pulsed along the narrow hall, and I struggled to breathe around it. Struggled to process this connection that throbbed between the two of us.

A live wire.

Echoing and curling and rebounding.

My skin crawled, and the vacancy in my spirit ached.

There was something about Tessa that made it seem like she got people without them having to say a thing. Like she knew things. Saw things. Felt things.

And shit, I was feeling all of them right then, too.

For an eternity, we stood in it together. Silent as we floated on this gutting confusion that rippled with understanding.

Finally, she looked at me from over her shoulder. Caution filled her expression. This girl who knocked me senseless every time I caught sight of her gorgeous face.

The guilt of that truth nearly knocked me to my knees.

A smile pulled to her mouth, soft and awed and perplexed. “I didn’t know you’re a dad, Milo. That’s amazing.”

There was a question behind it, and regret coiled with the adoration, my throat feeling like it might lock up as I scrubbed a palm over my face.

“Yeah,” I finally managed. “A girl and a boy. Remington and Scout.”

“How often are they here? I mean, I can leave.” Her words became hurried, like she suddenly felt uncomfortable or out of place when I was the monster who didn’t want her anywhere else. “Get my own place. It’s no problem. I don’t want to get in the way. I didn’t know you had children here, and seriously, the last thing they need is my crazy ass running around?—”

“No.” The single word cut her off.

She slowed, caught in my storm, blue eyes adrift. Lapping and swirling and drawing me to a beautiful place.

To the place where the sun touched the sky.

Too bright for those who’d been condemned to the darkness. I forced myself to speak around the shards of glass lodged at the base of my throat. “They don’t come here.”

A frown pulled to her brow, that blaze of red hair a burning halo piled on top of her head.

Her gaze was soft. Penetrating. Digging deep into the recesses where my demons lay.

Swore to God, she took up every molecule in the space.

“Do they live with their mother?” Caution stole all the lightness from her voice, and I was pretty sure the woman could sense the pain that was leaching from me in a torrent.

My head barely shook through the misery. “No.”

She blinked, troubled, the question a rough scrape. “Where?”

“With their grandparents.” It grated out, the admission nothing but razors of affliction.

“Oh.” It was a slight curl of her mouth, and her teeth raked her bottom lip like she was trying to hold back every question that wanted to come rushing out.

While I stood there feeling like I was coming unhinged.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” she finally whispered, pulling the door shut. “I was looking for a linen closet so I could grab a towel and take a shower, and I opened this and…”

She trailed off, the smattering of freckles on her pale skin glowing in the sunlight.

“It’s fine,” I told her, when it was the farthest from the truth. None of it was fine. But that wasn’t on her. It was on me.

Her tongue stroked over those rosebud lips, both nervous and bold. “I’m sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

“I’m sorry that my friend is in pain.”

Understanding passed between us, the two of us there, hovering in this weird awkwardness that somehow didn’t feel all that uncomfortable.

Finally, I cleared my throat and shoved the clothes out in front of me. “Found these…they’re my mom’s. She probably left them on the dock or something. I hope they fit okay.”

Tessa eased forward, her eyes still on me when she reached out and took them. She smiled at me like it was okay I’d just revealed a jagged piece of my heart.

“Why does it feel weird for me to wear your mom’s clothes?”

“It shouldn’t. My mom’s the best. She lives on the property to the west. I’m sure she’ll be by to check in.”

She hugged the clothes to her chest. “Well, if she’s half as awesome as you, I can’t wait to meet her.”

Air huffed from my nose. “I’m sure she’ll be excited to meet you, too.”

That was sure to be a whole fucking fiasco in itself.

Tessa rocked back on her heels, staring at me, but somehow giving me privacy.

“Thank you for everything, Milo,” she finally whispered.

My stomach fisted just from the breathy sound of her voice.

I blew out a sigh because I didn’t think I had the first clue what I’d gotten myself into. “Get yourself a shower, Tessa. I’ll be out back if you need anything.”