Page 8 of Burning Hearts

“I need to talk to him.” Was he even going to listen to her? “You see, my brother just inherited money from our grandfather.”

Snatch hit the brakes on his attempt to woo her into whatever he had planned up against this wall in a random office. Because she’d mentioned money?

The room had a single metal desk. No shelves or books or artwork on the walls. A single bulb hung from the middle of the ceiling. For some reason, there was a fire extinguisher on the wall behind the door—minus the tag that meant it had been inspected. Logan was the one who’d taught her that they needed to be checked regularly.

Now back it on up there, buddy.She tried to smile. “I have to tell him how much he’s gonna get paid. That’s why I came here. To tell him about the money.”

“How about you don’t,” Snatch said, “and you and I split it?”

“Well, that wouldn’t be fair now, would it?” She tried to smile.

He grinned, teeth slightly yellowed from life in the wilds away from the plastic, bleached culture of suburbs, lattes, and shiny SUVs. Jamie didn’t fit in either and had given up trying to figure out why a long time ago. “Who said things have to be fair?”

The door opened. One of those guys from the hill poked his head in.Crew.He sure wasn’t going to rescue her. “Snatch, boss wants to talk to you. Says whatever you have going on can wait.”

Snatch whirled around. “Watch her. Make sure she goes nowhere.”

Crew nodded.

“Not like you have it in you to do anything.” Snatch strode out, laughing to himself. “Choir boy.”

Crew’s jaw flexed. He stared at nothing for a couple of seconds, then said, “T!”

Her brother came into the room, and Crew stepped out, closing the door behind him. As if they’d planned this entire interruption and got rid of Snatch with a distraction so he’d leave the room.

“Tristan!” She tried to keep her voice low but rushed to him with her arms open.

He held up his hand. “What are you doing here?”

Jamie stopped. “I came here to find out whatyou’redoing here, of course. To tell you that Mom is doing…better. To help you if you needed it.”

Why didn’t he look happy to see her?

“You shouldn’t have come.” He sniffed. A hunk of brown hair fell over his shoulder, and she had to resist the urge to smooth it back. She’d done that when he was little—fixed his hair for church. Made sure he’d brushed his teeth and that he always ate his breakfast before school and that he’d done his homework. All the while, her mom had been passed out on the bathroom floor—or not even home yet.

When their mom had been there, Jamie had still done all those things.

You shouldn’t have come.

“What are you talking about, Tristan? Of course I came.”

She always did, and no matter what Logan had said, it wasn’t codependency. Who else would reach out a hand to them when they were knocked down? She and Tristan had only ever had each other.

Sure, God had probably saved them from some huge disasters, but it was hard to be thankful when she had no idea whatmight’vehappened. What disaster He might have averted.

“You don’t understand who these people are, J.” Tristan shook his head, a scruff of beard on his jaw. He was dressed in the same Alaska backcountry uniform as the rest of them. Jeans, a shirt, and boots. “It’s not that you shouldn’t have come to Alaska or come looking for me. I figured you would eventually. But they took my phone so I couldn’t call out. I couldn’t warn you what would happen when you did.”

She’d been worried before, but this was a whole new level. “Who are these people?”

“You don’t wanna know.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I can’t leave right now.”

“Of course you can! They can’t keep you here against your will. We can both go.” Although, they’d shut her in this room, and it didn’t seem likeshecould leave anytime soon. If she pushed it, would they release her?

She’d done what she’d come here to do. Who cared about all the stuff in her pack? She could replace it all. But her brother? She couldn’t replace him.

“Come with me.” She touched Tristan’s elbow, everything in her screaming for him to believe they needed to go. Now.

“I’m not done here. I can’t leave.” Tristan sighed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you in time to tell you not to come here.”

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