Page 102 of Irish Betrayal

Blair interrupted. “It was Hugh’s memorial. It wasn’t just anything.”

Daniel ignored her. “And your parents need to forgive themselves because they feel responsible.”

Blair finally looked at her mom and dad. Her heart squeezed at how wrecked they looked. She gestured for them to come closer. Daniel loosened his hold, not much but enough that she could give them hugs.

“I have never blamed you—would never blame you. I love you so much, Mom, and you’re my hero, Dad.” God, but that felt good to say. To feel and know it was reciprocated.

Blair had to bite her lip when both parents bowed their heads and cried. When her dad lifted her close to press her against his chest, his jagged breaths made her forget about her bruises and only soak up the love.

After a few minutes, she pulled back, and they all wiped their eyes, but Daniel wasn’t done. He tapped her arm.

“If I can forgive myself, and your parents can forgive themselves, then I expect you to do the same for yourself. You were a child, Blair. You didn’t understand what he was doing, what he planned.

“I know you are going to need time to heal and come to terms with…everything, but can we agree, the four of us, that blaming ourselves will only hinder healing and none of us wants that.

“We move on, move forward, tackle what’s to come together. Yes?”

“Agreed,” her dad said.

“Oh, yes,” her mom added.

Daniel raised her palm to his lips and kissed her softly. “To the future.”

Blair nodded, giving the three most important people in her life a watery smile. Her eyes flared wide one more time when Daniel’s large hand settled over her abdomen, cupping the small bump. The baby. Their baby.

She looked at Daniel, gauging his reaction. “You know?” Duh, Blair. The possessive hand was a giveaway.

“The girls,” he responded, meaning Mags, Gray, and Bébhinn.

“Surprise,” Blair signed, shrugging sheepishly.

Daniel started laughing and hugged her close, pulling back so that he could tell her how happy he was.

“It appears we have a lot to discuss, Miss Barr.”

“We do, yes,” she agreed.

“Is this a good time to tell your dad that I bought us a house?” Daniel asked, grinning.

Blair saw Daniel turn to her parents, and before her father bumped Daniel away to hug her, she saw him call Daniel a prick.

After only a moment, her mom elbowed her dad out of the way and hugged her tight. She touched Blair’s stomach tentatively before grinning and patting her cheeks in excitement.

From the moment the police had come into the rented flat and freed her hands and feet, she had dreaded coming face to face with her parents and Daniel. The reality of her situation, the recovery, the trauma, it all was an overwhelming oppression on her chest.

The fear of what her family would think of her overshadowed Peter’s screaming arrest as he was placed in handcuffs.

Peter was a known entity by that point; predator, abuser, narcissist. He was a past she never wanted to glimpse again.

No. Her imagination had taken her straight to this moment where fear and shame presided.

Blair should have known that Daniel wouldn’t let her stay in that sad place. She shouldn’t be surprised that he and her parents loved her no matter what.

Even as Detective Jeffreys walked into her room, Daniel captured her attention before stepping back to make room for the officer.

“I love you, Blair. Always,” he signed.

Tears pricked her eyes, and though her family was usually courteous of not following her signed conversations, she caught them “listening” in.