Reclaimed by Terri Anne Browning Read Free Book Online Page A

“I’m sorry, Em. So damn sorry.”
    “This isn’t your fault,” I assured him. “It’s not. Jesse’s right. The only one we should blame is the idiot trying to destroy us. As long as we hold strong and show the world that she didn’t crack us, then she has no power over us.” I didn’t believe a word that was coming out of my mouth right then, because I sure as hell believed I was to blame for all of this shit, but I needed to comfort him. I needed him to know that I didn’t blame him for anything.
    His hands tightened almost painfully around me. “Em…”
    “Dude, shut up,” Drake grumbled at his brother as he hugged us both. “No more self-blame for anyone. The past is the past, and that’s where I want to put this fucking week. Far in the past. Because if we don’t, I’m gonna grab a bottle and start chugging.”
    I didn’t know if Drake was joking or not, but I didn’t want to chance it. I didn’t want to be the cause of him falling off the wagon when he’d done such a great job of staying on it over the last few years. My hand found his shirt and I gripped it in a fist, holding on to him almost as desperately as I was Shane. “Dray…”
    “Listen to the man, Em,” Jesse commanded, adding himself to the group hug. “Both of you.”
    “You aren’t too big to be spanked, baby girl,” Nik teased softly as I felt him press against my back, his strong arms wrapping around his bandbrothers.
    My mouth snapped closed and I rested my head on Shane’s chest as they all hugged me at once, offering me their strength and the courage I needed to face whatever else would come flying our way. Feeling their love like this, it was hard to keep hating myself. Maybe they were right. Maybe I shouldn’t keep blaming myself.
    That didn’t make the pain and anger of the last few days lessen any, but it did ease the chokehold that had been on my heart. I sank into their hug and let a few more tears fall, but these were more in relief than anything else. They were slightly healing in a way and when the guys started to pull back several minutes later, I felt like I could actually breathe for the first time in days.
    Nik turned me in his arms. “I love you, baby girl.”
    “I-I love you too, Nik.”
    His hand clasped mine and he tugged me toward our bus. “Lets go check on the kids. Mia will be glad to see you.”
    I nodded and tried to give him a smile, but I knew it fell short. His hold only tightened reassuringly and we walked toward the bus that was surrounded by big, scary men in suits. Seller wasn’t even charging me his usual fee for all the extra men. He was pissed that this had happened on his watch and had come himself to oversee the extra security. The two men standing by the door stepped back and Nik pulled me on to the bus with Drake, Shane, and Jesse right behind me.
    Luca, Lyric and Neveah were playing in the middle of the living room floor. Harper, Lana, and Layla were seated on the couch and were watching over the toddlers lovingly. Jagger must have been taking a nap because he wasn’t in the room. My gaze went straight to Felicity who was in the recliner on the other side of the room. In her arms was my baby girl and she was crying softly as her nanny soothingly stroked her fingers through Mia’s long auburn hair.
    I didn’t waste another second as I crossed the small distance and softly touched Mia’s back. She lifted her head where it had been tucked into Felicity’s neck. Her tear-streaked face brightened ever so slightly when she realized it was me. “Momma,” she sobbed in a voice hoarse from tears. “Momma, I’m sorry.”
    My chin started to tremble but I clenched it before it could. Mia didn’t need to see my tears. They would only make her feel worse. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Mia. All that matters right now is that you’re okay. You’re safe, baby. No one will ever try to hurt you again. I swear.”
    Relief washed over her face and I tried to smile for her.