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“What will you do?” his dad asked quietly. “Fight all of us and flee away into the night? You’d tear this family apart for a stranger?”

“She isn’t—” Kain cut himself off. “Yes. I’d fight everyone in the whole fucking world to make sure she didn’t have to suffer through your perverse ideas of safety like the rest of us have. You haven’t learned a damn thing from the past.”

I was so overwhelmed by the full-body throb that fought with my growing pit of ice that I didn’t consider the implication that this had happened before.He’d fight his own blood ... for me?The thrill of that admission was crushed by my morbid guilt.

I saw it in my mind’s eye: the suffering, the tears—the pain.

I saw how they faced off now, already acting like enemies.

I saw their family photo, all the genuine, unguarded smiles.

And I saw my mother standing in front of the empty casket belonging to my father.

“No.” One by one, they all looked at me. But I only looked at Kain. “Don’t fight your own family. I don’t want to see anyone getting hurt because of me.”

He took a step my way. “Sammy.”

Lifting a hand to ward him off, I turned toward Maverick. “If you want me to stay in here, I’ll do it. Just don’t punish Kain because of what he did for me.”

Pain rippled through Kain’s frown. Ignoring everyone, he stalked my way, grabbing me up in his arms. I was lost in his touch, blown away by his open display of affection. This man, he didn’t care at all what anyone thought.

And he’d saidIwas the tough one?

His lips found mine, the kiss too brief. “I’ll get you out of here,” he promised to me, so quiet no one else could hear.

I smiled indulgently, but I had no response.

- CHAPTER SEVENTEEN -

SAMMY

A white horse circled me, letting me pet its side. It was all I could see, but that was fine; it was all I wanted to see. Under my touch, it was silver and gold, and then it was nothing but black.

“Sammy!”

My father’s voice rang in my ears. Every time I tried to turn to see him, the horse would get in the way again. Fur became darkness; I couldn’t even see my feet. Where was I? What was this?

The voice in my ears called again. I knew it was him, and that hurt deeper than any cut, because the voice of the dead can bring nothing but pain. My father was gone; I’d lost him. I’d come to terms with that.

And there he was, waving at me from the other side of the field. Stables white as clean sand stood tall behind him.White Rose Farms.I was a kid again, smiling as I trotted on the horse between my knobby knees.

Faces blurred around me; it was too hard to focus on any of them. Bit by bit, I urged my horse forward. I wanted to get closer to my dad, but the animal didn’t care. I was bobbing in place, going nowhere.

“Dad!” I shouted.

It was all too real. Was this a dream or a memory?

A figure much bigger than any man should ever be came into the frame. He nearly swallowed my father whole, all by doing nothing but standing near him. I didn’t remember this part. I didn’t know any of this.

My dad looked away from me ... and his frown was lower than the dirt.

I’d never seen that, either. Or had I?

They were talking. Whatever was being said, it made my father clench his fists and look back at me. He caught me watching, the raw determination in his stare stunning me cold.

“Careful,” a voice said beside me.

When I looked, it was a young boy on a stark-midnight stallion. His dimples showed when he grinned, his blue eyes so saturated they blew out all the other colors in the world.