Page 47 of The Finding Series: Vol. 1

“It’s okay,” Finn began to say, but Mrs. Greene shook her head.

“No, no it’s not. But maybe we can start to make it right.” She looked at him almost lovingly, then turned her sharp gaze on Callan. “Mr. Bale, may I borrow your kitchen for a bit? I’ve got some lemonade to make.”

Callan nodded and then his hand settled on the back of Finn’s neck. “Why don’t you go help Mrs. Greene get set up and then maybe lie down for a bit?”

Finn nodded solemnly, testament to how much pain he was probably still in.

“Come on, baby,” Rhys said gently as he tucked Mrs. Greene’s box under one arm and led Finn back to the house with the other.

“Mrs. Greene, would you mind watching over Emma for a bit so I can help out. It’s too warm out here for her,” Dane asked.

“Of course,” she said and tucked her arm into his free one. It took only a few minutes to get Emma settled with Mrs. Greene and then he and Rhys were heading back down towards the barn.

“Couldn’t help but notice you’re still with our new friend there,” Rhys said as he glanced at Jax who was helping to load debris. The familiar pang of want settled in Dane’s gut at the sight.

“He gave me a ride last night and today since my truck is still out of commission.”

“We were lucky as hell that he was here yesterday,” Rhys said. “Things would have ended a lot differently otherwise.”

Dane didn’t realize he’d slowed to a stop until Rhys actually had to turn around and walk back a few steps. “You okay?” Rhys asked with concern.

Dane shook his head. “He told me about Rawlings.”

Rhys stiffened. “What did he tell you exactly?”

“Enough to remind me he’s unpredictable and dangerous. And after he shot that man in cold blood yesterday…”

“Wait, what?” Rhys interjected. “What are you talking about?”

“He fired into that window without giving the guy a chance to give himself up.”

“Jesus, Dane, is that what you think?”

A cold feeling settled in Dane’s stomach at the disbelief in Rhys’ voice. Shit, had he somehow gotten this all wrong?

“Jax shot Rollins because he was aiming his gun at your daughter.” Horror swept through Dane at Rhys’ words and speech eluded him as Rhys continued. “That fucker was yelling at me to stay back or he’d shoot Emma. I saw the look in Rollins’ eyes – no doubt in my mind he would have done it.”

Dane couldn’t stop the bile that rose in his throat and he leaned over and retched into the dirt. He heard Rhys asking him if he was okay, but he couldn’t stop heaving even after the contents of his stomach were empty. His precious daughter had been hanging on the edge of death as he’d stood by helpless to do anything and the only reason she was still with him was because the miracle of fate had dropped Jaxon Reid into their lives at that very moment. And he’d treated the man like shit instead of getting on his hands and knees and thanking him for saving his child’s life.

A large hand settled over his back and he knew instantly whose it was. The whooshing sound in his ears finally let up enough to hear Jax saying his name as he rubbed his hand in gentle circles over Dane’s back.

“I’m okay,” he managed to croak out as he wiped his mouth with his shirt. “It’s the heat,” he said and hoped to God Rhys wouldn’t contradict him. “I’m just gonna go get cleaned up,” he muttered as he pulled away from the hand he wanted nothing more than to lean into. He hurried back to the small house and mumbled a quick excuse to Mrs. Greene about needing to use the bathroom, then locked himself in and tried to get himself under control. He managed to run some water over his face, but the second he looked up at his reflection in the mirror all the self-disgust came back and he slammed his hand into the glass hard enough so that he no longer had to look at the worthless piece of shit staring back at him.

* * *

“What happened to your hand?” Jax asked as he glanced at the bandage covering Dane’s palm. He’d been surprised that the vet had asked him for a ride home considering he just as easily could have gotten one from Callan or Rhys. Not that he had any intention of letting the man out of his sight just yet since he wasn’t convinced that the threats to Dane were completely extinguished.

“Snagged it on a nail,” Dane responded quietly. Why the hell did the man sound so broken all of a sudden? At least before he’d just been withdrawn. But now it was like the life was draining out of him. Even Emma’s incessant, adorable baby babble wasn’t cracking through whatever funk the man had fallen into.

“Dane, I need to ask you something,” Jax said as they neared the house. He wasn’t surprised when he received no response. “The people in town know you’re gay, right?”

Dane only nodded.

“Do you think they’d act on it the way they did with Finn and Callan?” Dane kept staring out the window though Jax doubted his hollow eyes were actually seeing any of the scenery that flew by.

“No.”

Jax bit back his irritation at the simple response and turned into Dane’s driveway. He got out and went around to the passenger side to help Dane with the car seat. Emma was flapping her arms and smiling at her father, but Dane didn’t seem to notice. Jax grabbed him before he could release the car seat from the base and pushed Dane against the car door. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

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