Stand By Me by Cora Blu

running down her face she'd held back as long as she could and extended a hand to Steve. He got to his feet and crossed the room in a flash. As if in slow motion, she felt every nerve ending being touched when their hands came together. When their fingers intertwined, a connection she hadn’t anticipated fluttered through her heart. When her face met his shoulder, his arms closed tight around her clinging as intensely as she was. Kenya hugged her father for the first time and listened to his heartbeat under her ear. “I need my family right now...especially you.”
    “Would it mean anything if I said I'm excited to be a grandfather even if I have to get in line behind Marcus?”
    It would mean more than he knew. Minutes passed before either spoke holding the other in a death grip. Kenya burrowed as close as she could get holding her father.
    “What can I do to help get your husband home where he belongs?”
    His face was sincere behind his offer. “If you’re serious, right now just knowing my family is here helping.”
    Steve's chest swelled pressing at her shoulder under his deep inhale. “I'm serious Kenya. I have money, but I doubt you need that.”
    “I don't need money, Steve, I need...wait a minute,” she said pushing away from his embrace. “Money, crap...” She planted a hand to her hip and ran a hand over her hair.
    “What's wrong?”
    She looked up wearily. “So busy with everything else, I never changed my name on my bank account and I'm paying investigators and things. I can't use Blakemore money that'll appear a bribe and I don't have that kind of money on me here.”
    The skin around Steve's eyes crinkled and she watched a smile open his face. “Let me pay for it, Kenya. And this is for you,” he said fishing out his wallet from his back pocket. “You have over two million in the bank.” She choked covering her mouth with her hand. “The money I sent you over the past twenty seven years is over two million dollars.” He unfolded a deposit slip handing it to her. She set her eyes on him before accepting the carbon paper. Blinking she couldn't believe the amount typed across the bottom in faded blue ink.
    “Is this right? Steve, there's over two million dollars in here.” She couldn't take her eyes off the flimsy paper with a staggering amount of zeros. Astonished, she read the numbers over in her head. “Tell me this is not drug money, Steve?”
    He leaned a shoulder against the fireplace mantel. “I lived a simple life...had no reason for luxuries.”
    She twisted her mouth giving him a speculative frown. “Where'd you live in a sand castle? How did you make this kind of money? Are these legal dollars?” she rattled on uncontrolled.
    “It's legal.” He let his shoulders relax. “When a company is located in a war zone, they pay well enough to keep you from having to think about turning down the offer. When the wars began years later, not staying connected to your kids kept you alive.” He pushed his hands into his pockets the sound of change jingling broke the silence. “Kenya, I made over three hundred thousand a year looking at a computer screen sixteen hours a day. I wrote codes, created programs, fixed programs, whatever was needed.”
    Kenya raised her brows too curious not to ask the question on her tongue. “Did anyone ever get captured...tortured?”
    “I'm certain you've seen the many CNN and Dateline reportsthrough the years. Kidnapping’s happened, more than anyone reported.”
    A jolt of relief coursed through her easing the tension in her tense shoulders. Steve had slipped into her heart just that quickly. “I saw those reports and yes they were awful to watch, especially horrible for the families. I'm glad you made it out safe,” she offered honestly. “All this time you've been sending your paychecks home to Katherine for us?”
    He inclined his head but kept his eyes on her. “Most of it, yes. I retired a few years ago and...met someone, Kenya.”
    She reeled