“So he witnessed you breaking in?”
“Again, there was no breaking involved. But yes, he came in with me before I told him he could go while I reorganized the pantry.” She lifted another candy but didn’t put this one in her mouth. “How are you doing?”
Noah ran a hand through his hair. “Better.”
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while.” She paused, her expression softening. “Something happened on your last mission, didn’t it?”
He should have told her. He knew he should have told her. She was his sister. His closest family member. And she’d shared so much about her fertility struggles, he should have let her into his darkness too. “There was an ambush. My teammate and I were captured. They killed him in front of me in an attempt to get information out of me.”
Tears immediately filled Indie’s eyes.
Shit. “See, this is why I didn’t tell you.”
She scrubbed her eyes. “No. They’re just pregnancy hormones. I told you, I’ve been emotional.” She reached over and squeezed his leg. “I’m so sorry you went through that, Noah.”
“I’m working through it. I’ve found a great therapist and I’m making progress.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve had your own stuff going on.” Not just the infertility she’d grappled with for years. She’d also been separated from Colt. She’d had issues with his mother. Not to mention her struggles with her mental health.
Indie tilted her head. “You need to tell me these things. I know you’re good at taking care of everyone else. But we want to take care of you too. I love you, Noah. I need you to be okay.”
His heart gave one of those big fucking thuds. “I love you too, Indie. And I should have told you.”
“What can I do to help?”
“You’re already doing it by being here. And growing my niece or nephew in your belly.”
One side of her mouth lifted but then lowered again. “What’s going on with Addie?”
“I fucked up. I’vebeenfucking up.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I was having flashbacks. Sometimes while I was awake, sometimes asleep. I didn’t like her being around me when I had them. They were unpredictable…so I decided she just shouldn’t be around me at all right now.”
She seemed to take a second to process that. “I’m going to tell you what I think.”
“Of course you are.”
“You love her. I can see it. And I’m certain she loves you too, because who wouldn’t? And if what you say is true, then she’s already seen the worst parts of you. She’s seen your demons, and she hasn’t run from them.”
“But what if I hurt her?”
“Do you think you’re capable of that?”
“A year ago, I would have said no.”
“Ask me.”
He frowned. “What?”
“Ask me if you’re capable of hurting her.”
“Indie—”
“The answer is no. Iknowyou. I’ve known you my entire life. There is not a bone in your body capable of hurting a woman. Especially her. Maybe sometimes you feel like you lose control, but you’ll always come back to the light before it’s too late. I don’t need to be a licensed therapist to know that.”
