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“Dawson.” Jack stepped in front of her as the other man approached.
“It’s okay, Jack.” River cleared his throat as though that would clear the huskiness from it. “I don’t blame Poppy for any of this.”
Jack stepped aside slowly but remained at her side.
“Can I have a hug, little sister?” River asked, his voice jagged as he held his arms out.
He wasn’t asking for that hug because he thought she needed it. He needed it.
Poppy stepped into the embrace, a broken sob escaping her as he wrapped her in his arms. He was the only one who hadn’t questioned her about Jack, who had silently supported whatever made her happy.
“This is my fault,” he whispered at her ear, his arms tightening momentarily. “I thought I was helping to trap Caine. I had no idea Saige…”
He released her, shaking his head, then stared back at Jack.
“Was Sasha involved?” he asked. “They won’t let me see her.”
Poppy knew Sasha had been picked up before the facility had been taken by the soldiers and agents under whatever agency had directed it. She had no idea where Caine’s sister was taken or if she had been involved.
“She’s being questioned,” Jack revealed. “That’s all I know.”
River shook his head. “She wasn’t involved in this, Jack.”
“Saige told me Sasha didn’t know,” Poppy assured him softly. “Said she was too busy being involved with you to suspect anything. She and Caine both knew about the relationship.”
His lips tightened before he gave a brief, short nod.
“It’s my fault,” he said again. “I contacted Ian more than a year ago with my suspicions about Caine. I just had no idea…” He shook his head again. “God. No idea…”
He turned and walked away, his steps slow, shoulders tight as he stared straight ahead and left the warehouse. As he did, Poppy watched as her brother, Mac, stepped inside. He strode toward her.
“Can’t keep you out of trouble, li’l bit,” he growled, wrapping her in a brief, tight hug before stepping back to glare at Jack. “You’re going to have to do better than this, Bridger,” he snapped. “I thought you knew how unpredictable she could be.”
Jack’s arm slid around her and he pulled her close, his warmth wrapping around her, enfolding her.
“I know now for sure,” Jack drawled as he stroked his hand comfortingly along her shoulder. “I’ll make sure I keep a much closer eye on her from here on out.”
“John David’s being read in on this,” Mac told her. “I told him, Evan, and Dad about the attack when she was seventeen.” He gave Poppy a somber smile. “I should have told the boys and Dad before this. We should have told them.”
“Caine sent Trencher after her,” Jack told him. “Evidently you were asking questions about something that summer that made Caine rather nervous.”
Poppy watched the fury that licked at her brother’s gaze, making it brighter, harder.
“A friend died that summer while investigating a new drug trafficking operation,” he said. “I was trying to find out who or what was behind it.”
“Now you know,” Jack told him, and in it, Poppy could hear some underlying message.
Mac’s jaw tightened. “Yeah. Now I know.”
Poppy sensed Caine’s evil was more far-reaching than any of them knew.
“I’m taking Poppy home. My home,” Jack informed Mac then. “She needs to rest before she faces John David or anyone else.”
“Take care of her, Jack,” Mac breathed out heavily. “Don’t cause me to regret the faith I have in you.”
He leaned forward and kissed Poppy’s forehead gently, then turned and walked to the group of soldiers and agents standing with a man the world called a criminal, Ian Richards.
She had a feeling there was a lot more to that “criminal” than met the eye.
