Her Way (Kids of The District, #3)

by Nicci Harris

“They used what matters to me to control me. And now you are too. Just another handler to organise my life for me. It’s my fucking life. Mine!”

“Feel. Me. Fuck. You. Deep inside you. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again.”

“You’re not alone. Neither of you. I’m going to take care of you. You just have to fucking let me.”

And Perry and his familiarity. Those fuckers know each other... “I’ve been keeping an eye on her for you.” Jimmy’s words hiss through my mind. I’m going to find out exactly what that means, old boy, and if my girl wants to shoot you in the face, I’m going to show her how.

We have too much to lose now. Jimmy knows it. We are no longer impenetrable. We have Kelly. Cassidy. We are in fact far more vulnerable than we have ever been.”

When you get home, her eyes flare with happiness. But I want you to know that it isn’t because we haven’t had a wonderful day together; it’s just because she loves you so much.”

Our boy would have been about their age...

“Be with me. Bring Akila home. I’ll take care of both of you like I always wanted to.”

I wanted all my senses to be full of you. My entire being to be absorbed by you. Only you.”

Because I can’t give him siblings. I can’t give you what you want, Bronson.

And I know Max Butcher, and that look... is completely new —enchantment, I’d call it.

“Your absence has been a great loss to this family. I hope you know ... we all feel that way.”

“I can’t take my eyes off you if I tried.”

I watch as he slides Cassidy to one side so he can scoop his daughter up with his free hand. He tucks her under his arm as she squeals and laughs.

“When I couldn’t see you anymore, I nearly fucking lost my mind.” He growls against my lips

“Because even though I might fucking melt... I still want to know the warmth of the flame.”

More than that, I hate the beast at my back screaming that he knows more than he is letting on.

And when she reaches around behind me, wrapping the collar around my throat,

She smiles at me and a little slice of peace slips into my heart. Into my mind. Where it’s strangely quiet. Peaceful... yes.

—the ghost of a little boy who nearly drowned, invisible but everywhere. He followed me all the way up to the doors and now he’s settled inside me, waiting to be unleashed.

I never told him he is my world, that my mind finds peace in his madness, that his madness allows me to be me. That without him, I was just half of a person. Half a heart.

I knew that day when I sat with you while you grieved that she was your soul,

“I gave her to him by having her father and sister driven off the road. She was so young. She needed him so much more after that.”

What the fuck

Cosa Nostra. Our thing. Family.

I tighten my hold, clutching at the seventeen-year-old boy who wanted to be something else, who wanted to be a stay-at-home dad, a good person, who wanted to be better. Better than this!

😫

Bronson’s arms tighten around me, as though he can’t bear being seen. Wanting to disappear into my arms, he shuffles in closer. He’s so much bigger than me, but I try to make him feel secure. I wish I could hide him.

You going to fix me, baby? You going to save me again?” “You saved me first,”

You’re it. You’re my peace. My quiet place.”

“Stone is theirs.”

Stone will be very much like the man who loves and raises him —he will be ‘a lot of Bronson Butcher,’ not just a little.