Page 85 of Love in the Wild

You helped your sister once. You’re not a hero.

He definitely didn’t deserve the happiness Hadley was radiating these days. Talking with the detective and half a dozen officers and agents over the last few days meant he’d laid it all on the line. The things he’d been caught and charged with paled in comparison to the number of things he’d gotten away with over the years. He’d confessed to those too, but only because his lawyer, Camille Harding, had suggested it.

Gage had never trusted anyone who wore a badge or could get him locked up. Coming clean was a long process when the past was as dirty as Gage’s.

A long process.

Bringing up buried bones just shed light on things he’d done and shoved behind him. Now, all of those things dimmed the hope he’d been kindling every time Hadley smiled up at him like he could be her hero.

Repeat: Not a hero.

Gage drove up the winding path leading to a group of buildings on a rise. The stretches of the ranch spread out over the land as far as the eye could see, and the sun laid over it all like a warming blanket.

The wide-open spaces were a stark contrast to the dark and wooded reaches of the Howard lands. They needed ample shadows to cover their illegal dealings, and the wilderness usually did the trick.

No wonder Hadley was always so bubbly and optimistic. She woke up every morning, walked out into the sunshine, and carried it with her wherever she went.

Gage passed the check-in office and parked in front of the dining hall. Five other vehicles were in the lot, but Hadley’s purple car was gone.

She’d loved that car, and despite the brave face she’d put on these last few days, Gage knew she missed it. Her rental was a small gray sedan, and there wasn’t any sign of it either.

It was go-time. He could do this.

Gage stepped out of the truck and took the stairs slowly. No use in rushing into a situation he wasn’t even prepared to face. Turning his cap backward, he took one deep breath before opening the door.

He walked inside to see Brett and Thea sitting at one of the many wooden tables in the large room. Their conversation halted as he closed the door behind him.

Thea rose to her feet and started to limp toward him. “You came.”

Not wanting her to walk farther than she had to, Gage met her across the room. “You asked me to.”

Thea shrugged as he got closer, and the bruises on her face were a wavy mix of yellow, purple, and red. “You don’t have to do what I say.” She held out her arms and gave him a timid smile.

Gage wasn’t the hugging type, but how could he tell her no? Pushing his insecurities down, he hugged her gently. Her entire body seemed to be bruised, bandaged, or braced, and the last thing he wanted was to cause her more pain.

“I missed you,” she whispered as she held onto him.

“Missed you too.” A memory of Thea’s screams from the day at the garage flashed in his mind, stunning him out of the perfect present. “I’m sorry.”

“You did everything you could.”

Gage knew their dad hit Thea, but the old man was cunning enough to do it when Gage was gone. “I should have been there for you.”

Thea leaned back, releasing him from the hug. “You were. You did everything you could. It wasn’t like you could stop your life and follow me around all the time. I don’t blame you for anything.”

But she should. He carried trouble around like gum on the bottom of his boot. “Just because they’re gone for now doesn’t mean this is going to be easy.”

Thea rolled her eyes. “I know, but you can let me have this brief happiness.”

Gage hung his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

She playfully slapped his shoulder. “I forgive you for everything you think you did. Now, can we start over?”

Forgiveness. That was a theme that kept popping up to remind him of his failures when he least expected it. How could a concept that basically meant erasing the past keep haunting him? “I’m all about starting over these days. Turning over a new leaf. Whatever you want to call it.”

The door behind him opened, and Hadley walked in. As soon as she saw him, her entire face lit up like a child watching a firework show. She jogged over to him, keeping her left arm tucked close to her middle. When she reached him, she launched straight at him, and he gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Hey,” she whispered against the shell of his ear, sending a surge of warmth straight to his bones.

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