Burn For You (Boys of the South) Read Online Free PDF

minutes, but I felt a connection with her. I still feel it, and it has nothing to do with my past, with sharing secrets, or even who I am.  I’m almost one hundred percent sure she didn’t recognize me beyond my last name, not an easy thing to do in racing country.  I mean, my face is on a fucking billboard above King’s, promoting Sun Devil Classics- a retro sunglasses line, for God’s sake.
    Only, I don’t have time for connections or sharing anything. All my time belongs to the baby girl sleeping in my house. I’m finished with Paisley, too. Like I told Lisa, I’m done playing hero to females who don’t want to be saved.
    Which is exactly why I’ll never darken King’s again—or at least until Lisa stops working there.
    Mia cries out and I jump to my feet, setting my beer down before rushing to her room. I scoop her up, cradling her close and cursing the fact that I haven’t washed my hands.
    “It’s okay, sweet girl. I’m here. I’m here... Your—I, uh...” Fat tears slide down her cheeks as she blinks up at me. She lets out a shuddering breath and hiccups. Neither one of us has any clue what we’re doing—she’s unsure of me and I’m unsure of my role in her life. But I can’t keep holding her at arm’s length. Mia deserves better.
    Fuck it. I kiss the top of her head and whisper, “Daddy’s here, and I’m never going to leave you.”
    ***
    I t’s six a.m., and I’m barely awake. Mia sleeps peacefully on my chest as I lay in bed. Her fever broke hours ago, but I can’t bear to put her back in her crib.
    My phone vibrates, the screen lighting up. It’s Paisley. Finally.
    Keeping one hand on my daughter’s back, I grab and answer it.  “So nice of you to finally call me back,” I mutter.
    “I need you, Beau,” Paisley cries into the phone, and my entire body tenses. “I tried to, with pills this time... but I didn’t...But I wanted to.” She’s not making any sense, but I know what she means. She tried to kill herself again.
    With a calmness I don’t remotely feel, I keep my voice soft and try to relax my body. “Where are you, honey?” There’s no need for accusations or screaming, because it will do no good. I’ve already tried a thousand times before.
    “At Charlotte Baptist.”
    Thank God . I let out a breath. “What can I do to help?”
    “Bring my baby to me. I need to see her and you,” Paisley says through her tears. She sniffs. “Please, Beau.”
    Damn it. Paisley never begs. She never says please. I know Paisley has custody of Mia and there’s no formal agreement between the two of us, but I really don’t want to take Mia there. I don’t want her to see Paisley like this, not even as young as she is right now.
    “Do you really think it’s a good idea? I’m happy to bring her to you once you get out,” I say, trying to be reasonable. “You want to be where you’re comfortable and there’s not a ton of people going in and out of the room while you’re getting... healthy.” She’ll never get healthy, not until she admits she has a problem and actively tries to get better. I can’t do it for her.
    In the past, I screamed, I pleaded, and I resorted to threats of telling her family, of telling anyone who would listen and convince her to stop hurting herself.
    There’s a long silence. Not a good sign. It’s the calm before the storm. “That’s why I want you to bring Mia here. I want to say goodbye.”
    My heart kicks against my chest so hard, I’m sure the motion will wake the baby up. “Don’t do this. Mia needs you.”
    “I know she does.” Another long silence. “That’s why I’m checking into Gentle Winds. I need help. I can’t be a good mother to Mia like this, or even a good girlfriend to you, no matter how much I love you both. I’m too fucked up.”
    “We’ll be there in thirty minutes.” There’s nothing else to say. Paisley needs me, and I plan to be there every step of the way, helping her and our daughter. “I still love