Page 51 of Fight for You

"Yeah." I glance away from her, peering up at the nest of birds in the tree overhead instead. They're still running their mother ragged, taking turns popping out of the nest while she tries to push them back inside. "I've never had to face this day without Ma Lucia. I guess it just hit me that I don't have many people left. Titan barely talks to me anymore. I rarely see you." I shrug a shoulder. "After my mom died, I was completely alone for a while. It wasn't long, but I thought I'd be on my own forever, and then Ma Lucia found me in that group home. She became my family. So did you and Titan. Now she's gone, and it feels like I'm losing both of you too. I feel like I'm on my own all over again."

"Oh, Cade." January puts her hand on my leg. "You aren't alone, and you aren't losing me. I love you so much. I don't regret being with you. I've never wanted anyone but you."

"I don't trust Tony," I tell her, moving my gaze back to her to find her watching me with tears in her eyes. "You might not believe it, but he wants you. That's why he was flirting so hard with you."

"I don't want him though." She gives me a small frown. "I've never cheated on you. I would never cheat on you. You don't have to trust him, but you do have to trust me, Cade. You think I've never been jealous of the girls you go to school with? You're older, sexy as hell, and crazy smart. They all want to be with you, but I've never once thought you would cheat on me. Mandy Wright wanted you so bad when we were growing up. She talked all that crap about me because she was jealous you were with me. But I never once thought you'd cheat with her."

"Mandy is a bitch," I say, annoyed by the mere mention of that girl. It pisses me off that she made January's life miserable for so long. Nothing about her appeals to me. I never had any interest in her. She's more Titan's type. God knows, the two of them have been dancing around one another since we were little. Thank fucking God someone else got her pregnant before he did. She doesn't come around nearly as often now that she has a kid to worry about.

"She is a bitch," January agrees with a little laugh. "But the point is that I trusted you even when she was hanging around you all the time. She would have dumped my brother in a second if you'd given her even a second glance, but I never doubted you. I still don't."

"I don't doubt you either," I promise her. "I was being a dick yesterday. I didn't mean what I said. I was just pissed that I missed you and he had his hands on you. I've been off all week, thinking about today."

January frowns and then crawls across the grass to me. She nestles into my side, putting my arm around her before she lays her head on my chest. "You should have told me."

"Didn't want you worrying about me, little monster."

"I'll always worry about you, Cade. I love you."

I press my lips to her forehead and linger there, a swell of gratitude coursing through me. Despite me being an ass yesterday, she still came here today so I didn't have to face this alone. Yeah, I love her. So damn much I can't breathe through it some days.

"I love you too, baby girl. You have no idea how much you mean to me."

"I think I do," she whispers. "I feel it too, you know. I may not be as old as you, but I feel the same thing you do."

"I won't stop you from being friends with Tony," I mumble into her skin. The last thing I want is for her to be friends with the dick, but I trust her. If she wants to be friends with him, I have to let her, even if I don't like it. That's how this shit works.

"Thank you." She cuddles close to me. "You really think your mom would have liked me?"

I pick her up and put her in my lap, turning her to face me. "I know she would have loved you," I promise her, smiling. "You remember the day we met?"

She nods.

"You were so tiny," I say. My smile grows at the memory. "You were running as fast as you could to get to Titan. Those little legs couldn't keep up. When you fell, you looked up at me with those bright green eyes, and I remember thinking that my mom would have loved you. You were like a little doll. I decided that I was going to take care of you so you didn't fall down anymore. That way, you wouldn't ever have a reason to cry. I don't like it when you cry, and I knew she'd be proud of me for making sure someone as precious as you was taken care of."

January blinks, sending a tear down her cheek, which makes me grumble. She smiles and bats my hand away when I try to wipe it from her cheek.

"I thought you were a hero that day," she whispers. "You've been my hero every day since. I never met your mom, but I love her because she made you who you are. You're such an incredible person, Cade. Even when you were hurting after you lost her, you cared more about making others happy than you did about yourself. Your mom had to be as amazing as you are. I know she'd be as proud of you as I am. I bet she's watching over you right now, smiling because you turned out so perfect."

I brush my lips across hers, my heart pulsing with emotion. She might think I'm perfect, but she's wrong. There is no one more perfect, more priceless, than she is. If letting her be friends with Tony keeps her happy, then I'll swallow my own tongue before I stop her. Whatever it takes to keep her with me.

My phone rings, blaring through the quiet library. I hurry to silence it, only to pause when I see Titan's name flashing across the screen. He hasn't called me in weeks. He didn't even call on the anniversary of my mom's death this year. I haven't heard a word from him in the two weeks since then either.

"Shh!" a chick at a table across from me hisses, glaring when my phone continues to blare across the room.

I wave her off and swipe to answer the call.

"Where are you?" Titan asks without preamble.

Wariness shoots through me at his tone.

"School. Why? What's wrong?" I'm already grabbing my shit and shoving it into my bag. Something's wrong. He wouldn't be calling me otherwise.

"You need to get home now," he demands, his voice hard.

"Titan, fucking tell me what's wrong," I snap, earning an annoyed huff from the girl sitting across from me. I shoot her a hard glare, silently telling her to mind her own business.

She jerks her gaze away from mine, muttering under her breath.