He’d failed her.
Just like he’d failed Christiana.
His hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles going white, all of it rushing through him. Then the dam burst.
His eyes burned, filled, his chest a fist, and as he bent his head to the steering wheel, he emitted a noise, almost a shout but it was lower—more primal. Something that scared him a little.
And then he didn’t care. His body started to shake, sobs ripping through him as the grief, the fury, the frustration roared out of him. He hadn’t cried like this since he was eight years old, but here, right now, he was a child again.
Unraveling in the parking lot of a hospital, knowing he’d screwed up.
And there was no way back.
His phone buzzed.
He wiped his eyes, fumbled for the device. Logan. Ten missed texts from the past twenty-four hours. Right—his brothers were supposed to be in town.
Latest message:
Logan
Luke and I are heading to the airport. Bummed we missed you. Honestly worried since we haven’t heard from you. Everything okay?
The text felt like a lifeline thrown to a drowning man.
He started typing a reply, then deleted it. What could he say?The woman I love nearly died and it’s my fault and oh, by the way, we’re being hunted by the Russian mob?
He dropped the phone. The ache in his chest wouldn’t ease, and yes, he could admit it.
He loved Nimue.
Great.
He glanced back at the text. Logan had always been his anchor. The steady twin to his chaos. But he couldn’t leave Nimue. Not now.
He leaned back, staring at the Bronco’s worn ceiling. His sobs had subsided into shaky breaths.
He wanted to protect her. Be by her side.
But he couldn’t do that either. He wasn’t family. Wasn’t anything, really. Just some guy she’d met less than three weeks ago who’d helped her through the canyon.
A guy she hadn’t even trusted—not really.
Short, painful breaths made his chest tight.
He needed to get out of here.
He checked Logan’s location. According to the app his family used to track each other, Logan was heading to the airport, but even if he left now, they’d be through security before he arrived.
Unless…
He shot off a quick text.
Liam
In Vegas. I’ll meet you at your gate.
He’d have to buy a ticket to get past security. Didn’t matter where—the cheapest one-way he could find. He wouldn’t actually fly. Just needed to talk to his brothers.