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“You’re assuming Gage doesn’t already have a girlfriend,” Brett said. “Who would want to date him?”

Thea chuckled. “Fair enough. I don’t know if he does or not. I haven’t spoken to him for more than ten minutes in the last five years. I don’t know anything about him. But he’s my brother, and he…”

Gage convinced her to leave Blackwater, and he kept her secret all these years. That meant he’d cared about her at one point.

It was more than she could say about her younger brother, Max. She didn’t know if he was above ground or below it, and she wasn’t about to ask Emerson or Gage. Max was addicted to violence–the gorier, the better–and she didn’t want to be in his crosshairs when he got that evil twinkle in his eyes.

“He did seem really concerned about you at the hospital, and he promised he wouldn’t spread the word you were here. It’s a risk, but it’s up to you.”

“I think I want to do it,” Thea whispered. The more she thought about the brother she used to know, the more she thought Gage would have surely leveled out and gotten smarter over time. “We can err on the side of caution. We could tell him I made friends with Hadley while I was here. I went back home, but I still talk to Hadley, and she wanted to help me keep up with Mom’s condition.”

“I’d feel much better letting him think that,” Brett admitted.

“Will you see if he’ll do it? Meet up with Hadley?”

“If you’re sure.”

“Well, let me run it by Hadley first.”

Brett laughed. “Can you imagine? Hadley pretending to date Gage. It’s comical.”

“It’s not like he’s ugly,” Thea said, swatting at Brett’s arm.

“I reserve the right to think he’s dumb just because I don’t like him.”

Thea rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips. She traced her tongue along her bottom lip, hyper aware of how close Brett was standing and all that he would risk to protect her.

“Do you think it’s a bad idea?” she whispered.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s a good idea, but I’d do anything to make you happy.” He lifted his hat and rubbed a hand through his hair before putting it back on again. “I know how much it means to you to talk to your mom. I’ll make it happen.”

She reached up and wrapped an arm around his neck, balancing the other arm on the crutches. He wrapped his arms around her, steadying her as he gently lifted her off the floor. The strength and comfort in his embrace warmed her inside and out.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“If anything happens–”

“We don’t have to talk about it.”

“We do. If anything happens, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. Do you understand? I’m not like them, but if it’s you or them, I won’t hesitate, and I won’t regret it.”

Thea tightened her hold on him. The gravity of his devotion pulled her in. How could she have left this?

But that same determination to protect her had convinced her of his involvement with her dad’s death. He would do anything for her, and she’d believed he’d been capable of killing her dad to keep her safe.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I left, but–” Her voice shook as she tried to gather her determination to give him the apology he deserved.

“I’m glad you left. It wasn’t safe for you, and you were better off away from all this. I don’t blame you.”

Oh, but he should. Even though every facet of her family and his had pushed and pulled in a political battle that left her an easy target by both sides, she still should have stayed by his side.

The phone rang in Ava’s office, and Thea pulled away to wipe her face. “I have to get that.”

Brett gently wrapped a hand around her arm, getting her attention. “Can I come over tonight?”

The second ring sounded.

“You come over every night. You’ve been sleeping on the couch.”