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He walked down the long hallway, past other closed office doors—Bella’s office and the small medical facility where the resident doctor tended to the veterans’ physical health.

Suddenly, one of the doors opened and Willow stepped out. She gave him a hard look.

“What happened?”

“Who said anything happened?” He took off, walking fast. But his sister was tall and her legs were long enough to keep up with him.

“I just ran into Decker. Dutch,” she added at his blank look. “He came out of Rhae’s office, looking upset.”

Fuck. Just when he thought he couldn’t feel worse.

Willow tipped her head toward the exit leading to the wide veranda. “Let’s talk.”

He let out a groan, but she clapped a hand on his forearm, forcing him to follow her.

Once they were outside in the chilly, open air, he could breathe a little easier, but his chest still felt too tight. He moved to lean against the rail, the same one that Navy had pitched a banana over while he and Rhae laughed.

Willow stepped up beside him. “What really happened?”

He planted his hands on the rail. “I walked into Rhae’s office and Dutch was there.”

“You just walked in? Without knocking first?”

“I didn’t hear any voices, so I figured she was alone.”

“Ah.”

“Dutch was on the floor, playing with Navy.” His voice grew tight, the words feeling sharp.

“And you got upset,” Willow filled in the blank for him.

He nodded, letting out a trickle of breath.

“Denver, you’re Navy’s daddy, but Navy is everyone’s baby.”

“That’s what Rhae said.”

“These guys don’t go to therapy—they walk into that office to help Rhae. They come visit her under the guise of offering support, and while they’re feeding Navy or playing with her or just watching her sleep…they share.”

Damn, he’d fucked it up for Dutch. And Kyle too, when he barged in and took Navy from him the other day.

Willow continued in an understanding voice. “With Rhae, there’s no appointment to dread, no pressure to feel. No misery. They come in claiming they’re fine, but they leave lighter. They need Rhae…and they need Navy.”

He leaned forward, dropping his head between his shoulders. “I see it now. It makes sense. I’m being a selfish jerk, which is hard as hell to admit.”

She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I admire you for admitting you were wrong.”

Wrong, yet with a reason.

He’d gone to find Rhae to tell her that he was still tracking Ravencroft, that he was digging deeper for information on him. Having that on his mind might have made him hyper-protective when he saw Dutch playing with Navy.

It felt too close to Ravencroft trying to take his place with Rhae.

But he still had wrongs to right.

Leaving the Blackout team meant he could no longer do anything for those brothers. But he could do more for these new brothers—both his siblings and those in the vets program…even if it meant sharing his daughter.

“It’s a small sacrifice to share Navy with them,” he said quietly. “Even though I’m jealous of the quality time I’ve missed out on.”

“They’re your brothers too. Your circle is widening. And Navy will always be your daughter. Your bond with her is going to be deeper.”

He wrapped one arm around Willow, pulling her into a brotherly hug. “Thank you for saying that.”

“I meant every word, Denver. You’re a beast of a protector, just like every Malone.”

“Including you.” He gave her a light squeeze and then let her go. “Thanks, Willow.”

“I’m always here.” She threw him a smile and a wave and walked away, leaving him wondering when it would be her time to take some advice from them instead of doling it out.

He stood there for a while longer, gazing out at the ranch. The grass had turned to gold at the tips, waving in the cool breeze. Beyond that, the mountains were as familiar to him as his own face in the mirror. They represented strength and a solid foundation.

He had to echo the mountain and make things right by apologizing to Dutch.

Denver found him chopping wood, picking up where Denver had left off earlier before the urge to see Rhae and Navy took over and he set down the ax.

Dutch swung it in a smooth arc. The blade came down directly in the center of the log, sending two pieces shooting off to either side. He was just positioning another chunk of wood when Denver stepped up next to him.

Dutch swung the ax down but said nothing.

“I owe you an apology, man.”

Dutch met his gaze.

“I thought some other guy playing with my daughter made me look like a bad dad. I had a bad father, and well…the thought of becoming like him bothers the hell out of me.”

Dutch’s eyes filled with understanding.

“It never occurred to me that you and the other guys enjoy spending time with Navy too. I won’t interfere again.”

The veteran didn’t speak. Was that normal for him? Denver swore he’d heard the man speak when he first came home to the ranch. But how long ago was that?

“I’m grateful there were so many people in Navy and Rhae’s life to love them and support them when I wasn’t around. That shouldn’t change just because I’m here. No hard feelings?” He held out a hand to Dutch.

The man took it without pause, rough fingers wrapping around Denver’s. Though he didn’t speak, his direct gaze showed Denver that all was forgiven.

As Denver walked away with the thump of the ax striking wood behind him, he couldn’t help but wonder what he could do now to help his new brother heal.