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“This is my fault,” Finn says. The words are so quiet I almost miss them.

I glance over, but he doesn’t look at me. His eyes are locked on some point across the room.

“This is my fault,” he says again, louder this time. “She left because of me.”

“That’s not true,” I say. He’s not making any sense right now. None of us caused this to happen.

She’s out there right now, alone. With no one to protect her.

Boone finally speaks. “We need to think,” he says. “Not feel. Not react.”

Finn doesn’t respond.

Boone glances at me. “We need to find her and bring her home.”

The tone of his voice tells me he’ll tear apart the world to get to her if that’s what it takes.

I stand slowly, easing Mae back onto the mattress. She sniffles, already half-asleep again and clutching her fox to her little body. I tuck a blanket over her and smooth a hand over her curls.

Then I meet Boone’s stare and nod once.

We’re going after her.

Because she’s family. She’s ours.

We’ll find her. And when we do? I’ll be damned if I’m ever letting her go again.

Chapter 34

Finn

Ihaven’t slept since she left. I've barely eaten. The only thing keeping me from totally losing my shit is the fact that we’re not just sitting on our hands waiting for her to come home.

She left to protect us. I get that. It doesn’t make this any easier though.

Jonah’s in the other room with Mae trying to comfort her and distract his own thoughts.

Boone’s outside, chopping wood. I’ve never seen a man split a log with so much fury. I guess we all have our methods of not falling apart.

We’ve already made the calls. We’re just waiting for our contacts to get back to us now.

I grab a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water. I look out the window absentmindedly while I drink it.

I keep hearing her laugh. Feeling the way she curled her fingers into the back of my shirt when she kissed me. Smelling her shampoo. Fuck, Ani, I need you here with me. With us.

She’s not safe on her own. And if she’s gone back to her parents or Davit, she’sdefinitelynot safe.

I set the glass down, and it clinks against the counter harder than I meant to.

A truck door slams outside. Boone’s voice rumbles low, too far away to hear clearly. Jonah joins him. It’s starting.

We’re going after her.

And I don’t give a shit what lines we have to cross to do it.

Boone doesn’t say a word when he walks in. He just heads straight for the table, puts his phone down, and grabs the folder he’s been assembling since we found out she left.

Jonah’s already got the laptop open, headset on. He’s speaking in shorthand—coded phrases and names that mean nothing to me but clearly mean everything to the guy on the other end.