That makes me smile despite myself. “Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah,” she assures me with a confidence I wish I had.
After Joy leaves, Mav and I sit quietly for a while. Drink.
The night settles around us. The porch light hums, moths flickering in its glow. Beyond the rail, the pasture stretches quietly under the Elk Mountains.
Then, Mav leans forward, his arms tense, jaw set. “You need to stand by her when she tells the world what he did.”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“You sure? You’ll be goin’ against your brother.”
“He raped her, Mav. He hurt other women. A man like that is no one’s brother.”
He bobs his head as if what I said pleases him. “You eat dinner?”
I shake my head. “Not hungry.”
“Aria made some orange cake—and you know, with dessert it ain’t about being hungry.”
I give him a small smile.
“You want a slice?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go into the kitchen. And while we eat, we can come up with the next steps.”
“Next steps for what?” I ask as I follow him into the house.
“Toputting your asshole brother behind barsandgetting your woman back—and not necessarily in that order.”
CHAPTER 26
sarah
Ididn’t sleep well. I knew I wouldn’t be able to.
ButI laughed a lot thanks to Joy, who came over.
I cried a lot, too. She held me through that.
Apparently, Cade went to talk to Mav and…well, he spilled all the dirty Mercer secrets.
This morning, when Joy leftaftermaking me breakfast (and making sure I ate it), she kissed my forehead. “I know it feels like there is absolutely no way out of this darkness. But there is. I promise.”
I don’t believe her.
Landon rattled me but good. One look at him and I lost my shit.
Completely.
And then I lost it some more when Cade showed up with his guilt and remorse, scorching the air between us.
Do I feel vindicated that he finally saw the light?Yes, absolutely.
Did it heal my wounds?No.
