Page 60 of Echoes From Within
“And healthy,”Doc adds.
“It’s nice to meet you, Allie,” I smile. “Would it be too much trouble if I asked for a hug?”
Moving fast, sweet little Allie wraps her arms around my shoulders and shoves her face into my neck.
Looking at my woman, I watch as she smiles before wiping the tears from her face. Her eyes are both happy and sad and I can’t help but wonder if we will have a family like this one day.
“Keep,”Xander repeats.
I roll my eyes and Sophia laughs. She knows someone is talking in my head though. People who know me can always tell.
Chapter Twenty-One
Sophia
Two weeks have passed since Allie came to UNITY. They found and arrested the man responsible for killing her parents last night and now people are here to collect her and take her to her new home.
“I don’t want to go,” Allie tells Travis. “Why can’t I stay here?”
“This place isn’t made for little girls like you to live in,” he tells her. “This is a place where people who don’t feel safe at home come to stay until it becomes safe for them to return. Just like how you were here because it wasn’t safe. But, they have the bad man now which means it’s safe for you to go home.”
“But I’ll be all alone,” she cries and I have to bite my lips to keep quiet.
“What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“My parents are dead,” she yells. “I don’t have a family anymore. I’ll have to live there all alone.”
“Oh, honey,” I say, moving to kneel down next to Travis. “They wouldn’t make you stay somewhere all by yourself. You’re going to go and stay in a new home. There are adults there that are going to take care of you and I was told there are even a couple of girls your age that you can play with. Everything is going to be okay.”
“No,” she cries throwing herself against my body.
I look desperately at Travis. He’ll know what to do or say to make her understand. If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve become attached to Allie. I don’t want her to leave either but she can’t grow up in a place that houses homeless people and domestic abuse victims.
“Gentleman,” Travis says to the two men who came to take Allie to her new home. “Could we please have a few minutes alone?”
Nodding, they walk outside.
“This is going to sound crazy,” he tells me. “But, why not have her come home with us?”
What?
“You mean, back to your house?” I ask softly, knowing Allie can hear us but not wanting her to know how big of a conversation the two adults holding her between their bodies are having.
“Our house, baby,” he corrects me, pulling me into a hug affecting pining Allie. “You are mine, baby,” he whispers in my ear. “I’m not ever letting you go. I can see you getting softer and softer about us as the days go by. You’re it for me, baby. I’m it for you.”
He leans back and cups my face.
“I love you, Sophia,” he tells me. “And I know you love me. We didn’t meet in a normal way but I’m so fucking thankful that we met, regardless of the reasons why. I know it’s a lot, baby, but something inside of me, mainly Xander, is telling me that this is the right move.”
“You love me?” I ask. “Are you sure this isn’t Miles in charge trying to make sure Travis speaks the right words for me?”
I laugh at my poor attempt at a joke knowing damn well that it’s a legit fear of mine.
“You haven’t had the chance to meet Miles or Doc yet,” he laughs. “Trust me, baby, you’ll know instantly that it’s not me. Miles is way too flirty to the entire world and Doc has a British accent. Plus, he’s a grumpy bastard.”
“And Xander?”
“He doesn’t talk nearly as much as I do,” he tells me. “Plus, he will instantly let you know who he is. Now, back to the current situation. Allie.”