“He doesn’t hate you.” Kade tilted my chin up with his finger. “He’s hurt. We both are, Lumberjack, but there is a difference.”
“I don’t know how to fix this—with both of you. Even you, Uri. I’m sorry. I couldn’t scent you, but that’s not an excuse for how I treated you when we…” I trailed off.
Uriel smiled at me.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You did what you needed to for you. I’m not mad at you, Vera.”
“That only makes me feel worse,” I laughed bitterly.
Kade’s jaw tightened, and he ran his fingers through his black hair. His knuckles were red. “You want to fix things with me?”
“Yes.”
“We’d do anything for you.” He was referring to Amos. I nodded. “Make it right with Dane. The way to my heart is through my brother. He let his guard down for the first time since we were kids, and you hurt him. Until he’s whole again, we’re not whole.”
The truth hit me. “Okay. I have an idea, but I need your help.”
“What are you thinking?” He sat beside me, tilting his head as his hands held the seat between his legs.
I took a shaky breath. This was going to sound crazy, but my instincts told me it was the right choice.
“Dahlia. I want to talk to her mom, convince her to let Dane see her. It’s a long shot, but I have to try.”
Kade went very still. “Her mom, Ava, isn’t that easy to talk to. She’s cruel. She uses that little girl as a weapon because she knows it’s the one thing that can bring Dane to his knees.”
“I know how to handle Mothers. Let me try.” I stood up, meeting his eyes. Something cracked in Kade’s expression—hope, maybe. “You and Dane grew up in foster care. The two of you only had each other. I want to give that back to you. I’m family, but I also want to do this for you two.”
“You think you can… talk to her?” Pain and hope swirled in Kade’s hazel eyes. Something vulnerable he usually kept hidden behind his manic grin.
“I have to try. I can’t lose you guys,” my voice cracked.
“She could slam the door in your face, and I wouldn’t be able to kill her,” he said quietly.
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to do that, anyway. I’ll deal with whatever she does. This is me fighting. This is me proving I’m not running away anymore.”
Kade pulled me into a crushing hug, his face buried in my hair.
“You’re fucking insane,” he whispered.
“Like you,” I whispered. He released me, chuckling.
Uriel stood up and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Kade exchanged a look with him.
“We’re not leaving your side,” Kade said.
“Yes!” I cheered. I jumped up and wrapped my arms around Kade’s neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “That’s fine. I have savings. I can get us the first flight out to… wherever she lives.”
Kade snorted, but his hands landed on my waist.
“You’re cute. Get dressed. Something that doesn’t scream ‘I just went through my heat’. We have a jet. We leave in an hour.”
“Of… course you do,” I laughed. Kade slapped Uriel’s ass.
“You too,” Kade said to Uriel.
Uriel and I looked at each other. Hope bloomed.
“We’ll get him back,” Uriel murmured as we climbed the stairs to Dane’s room, where we raided his closet. Surrounded by Dane’s scent, the weight of what I’d done settled over me again. Uriel swiped away my tears, kissing me sweetly before he helped me find something to wear.
