Shadows of You (Lost & Found, #4)

by Catherine Cowles

For her. That was why I was doing all of this. Because she deserved everything good in the world. And I was going to make sure she got it.

My nose stung. “Thank you,” I croaked. Those words didn’t come close to encompassing what I wanted them to. Not for the officer who had seen me through the investigation, the arrest, the horrible trial, and everything that followed.

Omg

Cady’s laughter caught on the air and swam around us. This. This was what I’d fought for. I hadn’t regretted leaving our old lives behind for a second.

The moment I saw true fear in them, I wanted to kick myself. She covered it quickly, taking up a stance I recognized as one ready for defense. I instantly took a step back.

The little girl’s gaze cut to me, so much like her mother’s, it froze me to the spot. “You’re going to help my mama save Bambi?”

Fuck me. I couldn’t say no to that face or the damn deer.

The man grinned. That curve of his lips and the flash of straight, white teeth had me sucking in a surprised breath. When he wasn’t scowling, his beauty was devastating.

There was a tenderness to how he treated the animal that was in direct opposition to his demeanor. The gentleness told me his cold, grouchy exterior was nothing but a defense mechanism. It was to protect the tenderness that lived within him.

“I think Mr. Grizz and I are gonna be bestest friends.” My brows flew up. “Mr. Grizz?” “Yep,” she said, popping the P. “He’s like a grizzly bear. Cranky after coming out of hi-hi⁠—” “Hibernation?”

My thirteen-year-old nephew, Drew, flopped into an overstuffed armchair next to me. “Putting the moves on Ms. Barlow, huh? Respect. She’s smokin’.” He held out a fist for me to bump. I simply stared at him. “Drew…” Lawson warned. “That’s not how we talk about women.”

Lmao

Aspen shrugged. “Everyone needs a place to belong. Somewhere they feel safe. I like being that for them.”

“Remember what we talked about?” She nodded. “When people are mean, it’s because they’re hurting.”

“Your mom always had the best ideas.” Cady was curious about her mom but didn’t bring her up often. She knew Autumn was in heaven and looking over her, and that Autumn had given her all the best parts of herself. But she also knew that it wasn’t safe to tell others about her mother.

I love that she was honest

Then he shouted again. “I love the pink glitter nails, by the way.” My family were a bunch of assholes. Lovable assholes, but assholes all the same.

Roan grinned at her. “Hey, Tiny Dancer.” Cady’s lower lip began to tremble, and then she flew at him. Roan’s eyes widened in surprise as he caught her, tutu and all.

“They don’t like you because everyone else does. They have ugliness on their insides, and it means they’ll never have what you do,” he explained. “What do I have?” Cady asked. “You’ve got a light in you. Same one your mama has. And I bet your mom had it, too.”

Roan jerked his head in a nod. “You can’t let anyone steal that light. Can’t let anyone dim it. No matter how hard they try. Because that light’s magic.”

Im cryingggg

She straightened on his lap. “We’re your family now, too, and we love you a whole lot, Mr. Grizz.” Cady threw her arms around Roan in a tight hug. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Love you, too, Tiny Dancer.”

I turned back toward Roan to thank him for all he’d done and was met by a wall of fury. He’d kept it carefully restrained while comforting Cady, but now it was out in full force. His breaths were more labored, his fists clenched. “I am two seconds away from driving over to that brat’s house and showing her mean.”

“That’s meanie number one’s mom,” Charlie whispered. “Thanks, bud.”

I cast a quick look in his direction and saw that he was mirroring my exact pose and glaring at her. Heather’s face heated, and she quickly averted her eyes, turning back to her friends.

I looked up from the chili I was stirring and glanced at Roan, who watched my daughter with a hint of amusement on his face. God, he was a good man. There was no feeling like watching his tenderness around her.

I choked on a laugh. “You’re throwing your brother to the wolves?” Roan’s gaze locked with mine. “I’d do anything for you.”

Roan’s hand tracked down, squeezing the back of my neck. “My Tender Heart.” My breath hitched. At the nickname. At the claiming of sorts.

“Back away from her before I rip your spine out through your nose.”

“I don’t give a damn what they say. I give a damn what you say. And it seems like you’d go down into the fiery pits for me.” I tipped my head back. “I’d follow you anywhere.”

Roan chuckled as he set my plate in front of me and kissed my temple. “See? I’m perfect.” I grunted. Cady giggled. “You sound like Mr. Grizz!” Roan just laughed harder. I’d never get tired of the sound. It was deep, raw, and real, and it wrapped around me like the warmest embrace.

“Because I see you, Roan. After you almost scared me to death coming out of a blizzard like the abominable snowman, I realized that all that gruff exterior was just trying to hide the most gentle core.”

Aspen’s thumbs stroked across my cheeks. “Stop hiding. There’s no reason for it. You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known.”

“No monsters are gonna get you when I’m around,” Roan said, his voice gruff. My heart squeezed painfully. This man was everything I’d ever wanted for my girl and so much more.