I stare at the spot where my brother might’ve stood. “I think there’s a chance he’s here, yeah. I’m just going to stay for a while and see what I can find out.”
“Are you sure? You can’t keep your life on pause, Jenna. Cade wouldn’t want that.”
I grit my teeth. “If Cade didn’t want me searching for him, then he would’ve found some fucking way to reach out to us.”
“It’s not safe…”
“And when has thateverstopped him?”
She’s quiet at that, letting a few beats of silence pass between us. “Do you need us to send you money?”
“I don’t want Lance’s money, Mom,” I counter, shaking my head as my fingers start to go numb around the phone.
“He would help you out, and you know it.”
“I don’t need a dad,” I spit back. “I’m thirty-one years old… But I am happy for you,” I add, because I don’t want her to think I’m being a dick. “I just don’t think Lance should help with this. He doesn’t even know Cade.”
My mom lets out a sigh. “Please just let me know if things get too tight for you.”
“I got a job here at a college,” I say carefully. “It should float me. If I can’t find him here, then… Then maybe it’ll be time to call it quits.”
“You’ll never call it quits, Jen. It’s not who you are.” My mom’s tone is nearly impossible to read. “Please be careful. And please…” Her voice trails off, but I already know what she’s thinking.
Please find him.
Chapter 5
Bradford
“It’s the nightmares,”Turner leans back against the couch. “I can’t fucking make them stop.” He leans over and gives his PTSD dog, Gunner, a pat on the head. “I thought with all this therapy, things would get better.”
I relax back in the chair. “It’s not an overnight change, and our subconscious is always going to bring things up that we try to forget.”
Turner takes a mindful breath, his eyes jumping to the TV, which is playing the afternoon news. “That Cade guy…” His voice trails off as he meets my gaze. “He wasn’t a good soldier.”
I shrug. “He was.”
Turner narrows his eyes at me. “I saw his story, Cal.” I wince as he uses my first name. “He killed two Marines in Texas.”
“Yeah,” I don’t offer any extra information. “He did.”
“And he was being charged with capital murder. In Texas.”
“Yep.”
“Stop gray rocking me,” Turner snaps, his voice growing sharp. “Why the hell are you mixed up with some guy like that? I thought you only helped the ones who were deserving of it.”
Thatgets my attention.
“And what makes you think you’re deserving of it? More so than Cade?” I counter him with the question, and he bristles.Good. He needs to work through some anger. And fucking entitlement.
“I didn’t kill my fellow comrades.”
“No, just your brother,” I retort. “What’s the fucking difference? One could maybe even argue that yours was worse. That was your flesh and blood—the guy who was trying desperately to fuckinghelpyou.”
Turner’s eyes darken, and I ready myself for his reaction.
“You think it’s fair to judge Cade now?” I test him, poking the beast once more. “You’re both in the same boat. He killed his best friend and best friend’s girlfriend.”
