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Thea had done a fantastic job of hiding all these years. Brett had looked for her more than once, only to come up empty-handed. He hoped she’d been hiding from her family and not him, because Brett wouldn’t dream of laying a finger on her.

The nurse stepped out of Thea’s room, closing the door behind her. Brett headed her off before she got to the nurse’s station.

“Hey, is she okay?”

The nurse took a step back, pursed her lips, and narrowed her eyes at him. “I know who you are. Friend seems like a stretch.”

“I really am. I didn’t do that to her.” Was this going to be the song he kept on repeat? A woman had been beaten, and it was easy to blame the nearest man. He’d learned that the hard way back when his uncle Mark killed Thea’s dad.

The nurse took a deep breath. “She needs rest. Without fighting,” she clarified. “I don’t know you, and I’m not going to disclose her medical information unless she gives consent. If you want to know how Thea is doing, you’ll have to ask her.” She raised a finger at Brett. “If I hear you so much as pinched her, I’ll have you thrown out of here.”

Brett held up his hands. “I would never hurt her. Ever.”

The nurse’s guard didn’t lower. He couldn’t blame the woman. Five years ago, the feud had solidified itself into Blackwater notoriety. Even folks in neighboring towns had heard of the Pattons and the Howards.

“I’m here to make sure no one comes to hurt her again. If I’m not in her room, I’ll be in the waiting room. If she needs anything, will you let me know?”

She didn’t agree, but she also didn’t tell him to get outta town. She looked both ways before turning back to Brett. “I hope they find whoever did this to her. People are cruel.”

Injustice swelled in Brett’s chest. “You have no idea. Thanks for what you’re doing to help.”

The nurse nodded once and stepped around him, heading to her next patient.

Brett slumped against the wall and tucked his chin to his chest. Thea was beaten and bruised from head to foot, and he was completely useless. He’d been angry with her off and on since she left, but seeing her in pain was turning him into a nervous wreck.

How could he help her? Having his hands tied behind his back brought on a new cadence of breathing as panic rose in his throat.

Lord, what do I do? How can I help her? Please. Help her. She’s in pain, and she doesn’t deserve this. It wasn’t her fight. She was one of the good ones.

Thea wasn’t just good. She was a complete contrast to her family. It hadn’t ever made sense to him how she could have come from so much hatred. She must have gotten her kindness from her mom. Sharon Howard didn’t belong in that circle of corruption either.

And now Sharon was dying. Thea had to be crushed. It was hard to be mad at her for leaving him when she was already suffering so much.

The old need to console her rose inside him. He understood Thea’s relationship with her mom. If she needed a shoulder to cry on, could he put aside his pride and help her when she was broken?

He turned to the door and knocked. When he didn’t hear anything from the other side, he slowly pushed the door open. The lights were dim, but Thea’s eyes were open. The stark colors in her face kicked him in the gut.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” she squirmed a little, but she didn’t try to crawl away from him like she had earlier.

Brett pulled up a chair next to her bed. “Did they give you something for the pain? Do you need anything?”

“Yes, and no. I’m okay.”

“It’s okay to not be okay,” Brett said, though it gutted him to see her so broken down. Her brown hair was still matted, and her left eye was bloodshot, obscuring the pale green he’d memorized. She still held the thin frame from before, but her arms were thickened with muscle. She looked healthy aside from the bruises and cuts.

Had she been happy all these years? Had she made a life she loved away from all the noise she grew up with?

Had she made a happy life without him? That was the part that hurt most. He wanted her to be happy, and he selfishly wanted to be a part of it. But she’d cut him out, left him stranded and alone when he needed her most. Anger climbed up his neck, choking him with heat and pressure.

A warning flashed in the back of his mind. Neither of them had been raised in church, but Brett had given his life to Christ in the years since Thea left. He was supposed to rise above the anger. He was supposed to be able to forgive and give second chances. Too bad he hadn’t perfected those virtues before now.

Had she found that faith too? If she hadn’t, maybe now was his chance to help her find her faith, but he needed to get his anger in check first.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”