Jane flinches. “You should.”
I tilt my head. “No. The only thing I care about is what you think. And right now, you think you’re not worth the trouble.”
Her eyes become glossy with the tears she’s so desperately trying to hold back.
I lift my hand, giving her time to pull away. She doesn’t, so I brush my thumb over her cheekbone, catching a tear she didn’t realize had fallen.
“You are the very best kind of trouble. And you’re worth it. Every part of you, even those parts you think need fixin’.”
Jane’s breath breaks. For a moment, she looks like she might bolt again.
Then she asks, “What if I can’t fix them?”
I lean in, our foreheads touching. “You don’t have to fix anything. You just have to let people love you without paying for it.”
Her eyes squeeze shut.
The wind gusts around us, cold and sharp.
I hold her face between my hands like she’s precious. Because she is. “Come back inside. Not for them. For you. We’ll handle it together.”
Jane opens her eyes, raw and scared. “Promise?”
I don’t hesitate. “On my life.”
And as I pull her into my chest, holding her against the cold, I glance back toward the cabin where three brothers wait on the porch. Three men who love her so much they struggle to let her breathe.
They wanted a reckoning. They’re going to get one.
But first, I’m going to bring Jane home to herself, right here, in the field where it all started.
Chapter 19
Jane
The wind slices across the field. I stand there, cheeks burning, heart wide open. Tex is right in front of me, as solid as the earth, cradling my face like he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he lets go.
In my mind’s eye, I see my brothers: Caleb’s hard stare, Weston’s worry, Boone’s anger—then the way it cracked when he realized he’d hit the same bruise he always hits.
You’re a mess.
It shouldn’t hurt anymore. But it does.
Tex’s thumbs trace the edges of my jaw, grounding me. It’s as if he’s saying,Stay here, not with words, but with touch.
Come back inside. Not for them. For you. We’ll handle it together.
My throat tightens, my eyes sting, and my whole body feels like it’s vibrating.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I admit.
Tex’s gaze remains steady. “Then I’ll help you.”
“That sounds... ominous.”
The corner of his mouth lifts, just barely. “Why?”
“Because your way is order and routine and?—”
