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Then there was Becky, who regarded her as if she was the savior there to take away everyone’s pain. So far, Reagan hadn’t shared the doctor’s news with any of them, so they had no idea the likelihood of taking away anyone’s pain didn’t exist.

“There’s no need for you to apologize,” Reagan responded to Becky, focusing on the mattress where the woman's delicate hand grasped English’s weathered one.

“Someone should. You didn’t ask for this.”

“No, but that’s how life works, right? I try to look at it as sources of inspiration for my books.” Reagan wanted to lighten the mood, but her attempt at humor came out more caustic than she intended.

To her credit, Becky managed a small smile. “Is that where your ideas come from? I always wondered. I love your books. There are so many twists and turns. I can never guess the ending, and I try.”

Reagan jerked her head up in surprise. “You’ve read my books? As in more than one?”

Becky nodded, a lock of her silver hair bouncing against her forehead. “All of them. English loaned them to me. Though I have to say my favorites are the first series you published. This new series is good, but it’s darker than I usually read. No offense.”

Reagan’s mind stumbled over the knowledge her father owned copies of her books. “None taken,” she managed to say. “How is it you know English?”

Becky sighed as she looked down at English’s sleeping form. “He probably wouldn’t want me to tell you, but I’ve never thought it was fair to you or your mother. I met English at the bar. My boyfriend dragged me there for a night out with some of his friends. I was a mess then. My boyfriend, Bo, kept me high on meth, and he loved to get me stoned and drunk and share me with his friends. I hated my life, but I didn’t know how to escape it.

“Bo and his friends caused a scene at the bar, and English stepped in. He took them all on and won. They were drunk, but it was still damn impressive to see. He kicked them out and told me he’d help me get back on my feet if I wanted. He drove me to a rehab center far enough away where Bo couldn’t find me. When I got sober, English put me to work at the bar and helped me find a safe place to live. I was always afraid I’d run into Bo, but I never did. It’s like he had disappeared from my life entirely.”

“And English told you about me?”

Becky nodded. “Eventually. I found a picture of you and your mother when I was helping him clean out some things in his apartment to make room for Easton when he came along. I asked him about it, and he wouldn’t tell me at first. But during dinner, he drank too much beer and started talking. Being apart from you and your mother was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.”

Reagan swallowed an angry retort. She couldn’t fault Becky her feelings for English, not when he did so much for her. Hell, even her mother had fallen in love with English at one point, so she had known he had some redeeming qualities. But she had a hard time not feeling resentful of the people who saw a kinder, softer side to her father that she never had a chance to see.

“What about the…boys? How did they end up with English?”

“They all have their own stories which are theirs to tell. But English helped them at a time when they needed it. They were young with no other options. We still call them boys, but they’ve grown up to be good men. They’re hardworking, and they care about people. You can trust them, Reagan. I know you’re struggling with that since you don’t know us. You don’t even know your father like we do. It has to be strange for you.”

You have no idea, she thought. She stared at English, lying very still, his skin pale under his tan.

“Why?” The question escaped her lips before she could stop it, but once she voiced it, she gave into the need for answers. “Why would he put me in charge of his health when he has all of you?”

She heard a noise and glanced over to see Becky crying. The woman used her free hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

“Because we’re not family. Not really. No matter how close we are, we all knew we were second in his life, behind you and your mother.”

“I don’t know. He chose to have you in his life. He left me and my mother behind.”

Becky turned forlorn eyes in Reagan’s direction. “He was protecting you. You couldn’t have known it at the time, but he did what he thought he had to in order for you to be safe. The same as now. It’s on the security tape. Your name was the last word he spoke before he went into a coma. He did that knowing his boys would protect you. That’s not the action of someone who doesn’t care.”

“I wish I could believe you.”

Reagan was relieved to hear a knock at the entrance to the room until she turned to see Jackson and Luke step inside. Two more men followed behind, and Reagan had to wondered what was in the water in Fire Creek. The men were broad and tall and intimidating and good looking as hell. She struggled to resist the urge to step back, but she ended up adding distance between her and them anyway.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Jackson spoke to Becky, barely acknowledging Reagan was in the room.

Becky stood, uncertainty clouding her expression. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s okay. After what happened today, I called in back-up to protect you and Gish. I trust these guys. They’re some of the very best, and their only job is keeping you safe.”

“If you trust them, so do I, but what about Reagan?”

Jackson finally turned to her, their gazes locking with each other. Reagan’s breath caught in her throat. She had a feeling she was going to hate the words coming from his mouth next, and the thought had her zeroing in on his lips. The corners tipped downward in an almost pouty shape, the fullness of his bottom lip enticing. She had a sudden image of her teeth nipping at the flesh, adding color to the dark pink of his lip. The image startled her, and she dropped her eyes so he couldn’t see how flustered she’d become.

“We’re taking her with us. She’s the main target, so the farther she’s away from you and Gish, the better.”

“No.” The word left Reagan’s throat with more force than she meant for it to, but if it drove her point home, so be it. She came here to get answers from her father, and she couldn’t get them if she wasn’t here when he came out of his coma. If he came out of his coma…