Love Restored (22 page)

“We’re her family,” Graham said as he squeezed her shoulder. “So if you’re separating us because you think we’re the ones that did this, you should know that little girl means more to us than anything. And her so-called grandparents over there just filed for custody, though they’ve never even met her. If you’re going to question anyone, question them.”

Officer Lansing narrowed his eyes. “Let’s get this all out in the open, shall we? Our goal is to find Rowan, Ms. Brennen. I need all the information I can get in order to protect her.”

Blake nodded and told him everything she could remember about how she’d ended up in this position. Without parts of the past, he wouldn’t be able to understand why the Carmichaels had been trying to gain custody in the first place. She wasn’t sure what to think regarding
who
had taken her daughter, but the thought of anyone touching one precious hair on her baby’s head made her want to scream and lash out.

“They have more than one house,” Blake blurted after over an hour of speaking to the officers and detectives that had shown up.

“Excuse me?” Lansing asked. “What do you mean by that?”

Blake ran a hand over her face, her body exhausted. She pulled away from Graham when he reached for her. She couldn’t think when he was around, and because she’d opened herself, she’d risked her daughter’s life. She didn’t blame Graham for what had happened, she blamed herself.

So she wouldn’t let anyone in. Not again. As soon as she got her baby back, things were going to change. They had to if she was going to find any form of peace.

Knowing she was being watched, she answered the officer. “They have more than one estate. The Carmichaels. And I think they have a ski cottage in Vail, as well. At least, that’s what I remember from all those years ago. I don’t know why they took her, other than to hurt me, but I
know
they took her.” Her hands fisted, and her heart beat rapidly. “There’s that construction guy who you all say is missing too, and you’re out looking for him as well in connection to this. I don’t know how it all works or what happens next, but I need you to check all their houses.”

“We’re doing all we can to find your daughter, Ms. Brennen.”

“Then try harder!” she screamed then put her hands over her mouth, shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “So sorry. I can’t…” She took a deep breath. “Can I go home now? In case Rowan calls there? Do you need me anymore?”

The officer gave her a pitying look. “Yes, you can go to your home. We’ll have an officer there with you, as well.”

She nodded, her body numb once more. As she started to move to where she’d parked, Graham slid his hand over hers.

“Let me drive you.”

She shook her head. “I need to go. I need to be alone.” She couldn’t think about what was going on with her and Graham right then. She needed him to not be there. If he was there, it was only a reminder that she’d messed up, and had trusted herself when she shouldn’t have. She needed to focus on Rowan. That was the only thing that mattered. Because she’d thought she might be able to have a serious relationship just once in her life, she’d taken her eyes off her daughter and had ruined everything.

“You shouldn’t be alone right now,” Owen said as he moved to her other side. “We’ll all go with you. What Graham said before was the truth, we’re your family.”

She met Owen’s eyes, then Murphy’s, before looking into Graham’s. The anger in his eyes burned, and she hoped it was for who had taken her baby and not her, but she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

“Fine,” she said softly. She was too tired to fight them. She’d fight for Rowan, but not herself. Not right now.

She slid into the passenger seat of her car as Graham drove her home. The other Gallaghers had said they’d take care of the other vehicles on the lot as well as the site itself before they joined them at her place. She didn’t know what they planned, but she pushed it to the side. If she focused on every little thing around her, she’d break. And she couldn’t be there for Rowan if she was truly broken beyond measure.

When they pulled into her parking lot, she nodded at the cops, who nodded back, and then she got out of the car. Mrs. Gonzales ran to her, throwing her arms around Blake.

“Oh, Blake, I’m so sorry,” the older woman cried as she hugged Blake close. Blake forced herself to hug the other woman back. Her arms were too heavy, and she wasn’t functioning on all levels.

“We’re going to find her, Mrs. Gonzales,” Graham said from their side. “I’m going to get Blake inside now. Are you okay alone? My brothers will be here soon, as well.”

Mrs. Gonzales pulled away from Blake before reaching up to pat Graham on the cheek over his beard. “Take care of our girl. I’ll be fine at home. But if you need
anything
, you let me know.” She rolled her shoulders back. “I’m going to cook for these fine officers who are going to find our baby. They will need the energy.” She pointed at Blake. “And you’re going to eat my food, too. You can’t fade away, or there won’t be anything left when Rowan gets back. She
will
be back, my darling.” And with that, Mrs. Gonzales stomped away, her mission clear.

Blake could have hugged the other woman for it, but she didn’t even have that in her. With her back straight, she made her way up the stairs and into her apartment, Graham on her heels.

“You need to sit down,” he said after a moment.

That’s when she realized she’d been standing still in the middle of her apartment, not saying anything. She didn’t like this numb version of herself. How could she function and be of any help if she could barely move?

“I’m fine.”

She wasn’t fine.

“Do you want to take a shower?” Graham asked. He reached out and cupped her chin.

She backed away.

The hurt look on his face pierced her, but she knew it was for the best. She already wasn’t doing what she needed to do, and having Graham touch her wouldn’t help.

“Why would I need a shower?” she asked, her voice wooden.

Graham stuck his hands in his pockets, looking as lost as she felt. “Because you think in the shower. It’ll clean away some of the day so you can focus better.” He sighed. “I don’t know, Blake. I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, I don’t need your help.” She inhaled through her nose. “You’ve helped enough. So go, okay? I’m home. I’m safe. But my daughter isn’t. I need to focus on that and nothing else.”

He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when someone knocked on the door. “I’ll go answer that,” he said softly.

She pushed past him, though. What if it was Rowan? Blake
knew
she was acting like a bitch to Graham when all he’d done was try to help her, but she couldn’t trust herself if she let him get close.

When she opened the door, it wasn’t Rowan, but Maya, Jake, and Border. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Are you kidding me?” Maya asked. “Where else would we be?” Maya hugged Blake tightly and moved out of the way so Jake and Border could file in. They hugged her, too, and before Blake could shut the door, Owen and Murphy were there, as well.

She should have felt loved, needed with everyone there for her. But she couldn’t quite understand how it had all happened. She’d spent the majority of her daughter’s life keeping people at arm’s length, but now there were countless people in her home, worried for her and Rowan. She could even scent the food cooking from Mrs. Gonzales’s apartment that Blake knew would soon be in her own place.

These people cared for her and were worried about Rowan. She should be grateful, and yet, she felt like a first-class bitch.

She needed them gone, out of her way so she could be who she needed to be. Things had been safer when she was alone. And yes, that sounded idiotic since none of the people in her apartment were directly responsible for what had happened, but she couldn’t help but be irrational right now.

Graham put his arm around her waist and brought her back to his chest. “Breathe, Blake. You need to breathe.”

She hadn’t been aware that she’d been holding her breath, so when she exhaled, her lungs burned and her head went fuzzy.

“I think I’ll take that shower now.” It was the only place she could be alone.

The others gave her understanding looks, and she hated the pity on their faces. She quickly scurried away, taking her cellphone with her just in case someone called, and turned on the shower. As soon as the water was hot enough to scald, she stripped down and put her whole body under the spray.

Only then did she let the tears come.

Her body shook, and she sobbed, her throat aching as she screamed and thrashed. The tears mixed with the hot water, sliding down her face and into the drain at her feet. She ached for what was going on, but nothing compared to her thoughts of her daughter and what she must be going through right now. She prayed that whoever had her wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe they’d only wanted to scare Blake, but would keep Rowan safe? She wouldn’t dare think of anything else, because if she did, she’d break down even more.

She shouldn’t have even taken the time to break down now as she had, but she hadn’t been able to hold it in any longer.

When the bathroom door opened, she closed her eyes, trying to calm her tears. As someone pulled the curtain back and turned off the water, she opened her lids, only to see Graham there. He gave her a look that she couldn’t interpret and reached around to grab a thick towel she’d put on the hook next to the shower. When he wrapped it around her, she leaned into him, knowing she shouldn’t. She needed to keep her distance, but right then, she was going in so many different directions, she didn’t know what to do.

Instead of leading her out of the shower, he picked her up and cradled her to his chest.

“You’re going to get your clothes wet,” she whispered.

“Fuck my clothes. Let’s get you dressed and dry so you don’t catch a cold.”

She looked over his shoulder and reached out. “I need my phone.”

He shook his head. “It’s in my hand behind your back. If someone calls, we’ll know.”

Graham set her on her feet and let the towel slide away so she stood in her bedroom, naked and bare. She’d been this way before with him, of course, but there was nothing sexy about this time. He ran the towel over her body, being as gentle as he could with those large hands of his, before wrapping the towel around her shoulders and turning back to her dresser.

He hadn’t been over to her place enough to know where things were, so it took him a bit to find her some clothes. Of course, if they’d been at his place, she’d have been able to find anything of his because he’d let her in.

She’d always kept him a little bit apart from her, even when she’d told herself she loved him.

And yet, no matter how hard she’d tried, her world had still fallen out from under her.

He helped her dress in silence as her heart thudded in her ears. She didn’t like this person she’d become and knew she needed to snap out of it and do her best to find her daughter.

She let out a breath when Graham finished helping her dress, and she ran her hand over his beard. “Thank you.”

Graham sighed, his body shaking. “God, Blake. I don’t know how to help you. That little girl means so fucking much to me, and I’m at a loss as to how to help. I wish there was someone to tell us what to do right now, but no matter what, I’m here if you need me. Okay? I’m here.”

She nodded, though she wasn’t sure what to do either. Without another word, she pushed past him into the living room where the others had gathered. Mrs. Gonzales had brought over food, and according to Murphy, had gone back to her home to cook more for “the nice policemen.”

Blake ran a hand through her wet hair, annoyed with herself for not putting conditioner in it or even bothering to brush it. But who cared about that when Rowan was gone?

Her phone rang, and she pressed answer without even looking at it. The room went so silent she could hear her pulse in her head. “Rowan?”

“Ms. Brennen, this is Officer Lansing. We have Rowan.”

Her legs went out from under her, and she fell to the ground. Graham was there by her side while the others moved toward her in the next instant.

“Is she okay? Is she hurt? Can I talk to her?”

“Oh, thank God,” Owen whispered, but Blake waved him off. She needed to be able to hear Officer Lansing.

“She’s unharmed, though we still have paramedics doing a check up just in case. We’re going to bring her to your home soon and go over everything.”

Tears once again slid down Blake’s cheeks. “What happened? Who took her? Can I talk to her?” She asked the last question again, needing to hear her daughter’s voice.

“Rowan is with the paramedic right now, and then we’re putting her in the car and heading down to your place. I’m not near her, as I’m in Denver, and Rowan was found in Vail. Otherwise, I would put you on the phone with her right now.”

“Vail?” she pursued, her eyes going wide. “She was at the ski cottage, wasn’t she? Oh my God, they actually took her.”

“It’s looking that way, ma’am. But we won’t know more until we continue our investigation. Just hang tight. We will bring your daughter home shortly.”

She nodded, though he couldn’t see her, and hung up the phone after he’d given her an approximate time.

“They found her,” she whispered.

“The Carmichaels actually took her?” Graham cursed. “Are you fucking serious?”

Blake blinked up at him. “Yeah, it looks like it. I know my lawyer called earlier about how the case might be dismissed, but I
never
truly thought they’d take matters into their own hands like this.”

“But what about the subcontractor, Sean?” Owen asked.

She shook her head. “I…I don’t know.”

She didn’t know much of anything except that her baby was coming home.

Thank. God.

It took almost two hours for Rowan to come home. Between the drive, traffic, and paperwork, Blake was afraid she was going to pull out all of her hair before she saw her baby girl again.

When the officer opened the back door of his cruiser, Rowan jumped out and ran full tilt toward Blake. Blake met her daughter halfway, crushing Rowan to her.