Falling Embers (Tattered & Torn, #2)

by Catherine Cowles

If something happened to Hadley, I’d never be the same. And I would’ve wasted precious time pushing her away.

“I’m sorry. You’ll never know how much. I was scared out of my mind and trying to keep my head above water. It was all lies. I’ve wanted you for longer than I should’ve. But it’s more than that. You’ve always been more. You own my fucking soul, and I don’t ever want it back.”

Part of me knew that I’d loved Hadley all her life. That love had shifted and changed over the years. From protective big-brother figure to friend and then to something more. But in this moment, seeing her pour that kind of truth into my daughter’s heart, every doubt was swept away. I loved this woman with everything I had, and I was never letting go.

But most of all, I felt free. In that moment, I realized I’d found a different kind of freedom in life with Calder. It wasn’t something I had to chase, like flipping off mountains or any of my other daredevil tricks. This was something that would always be there. A constant. It was steady and warm and light. It didn’t fence me in or force me to be someone I wasn’t. It let me fly.