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Ink blows out a hard breath. “He’s blamed himself for years. Shut himself off because he couldn’t deal.” A sad smile plays on his lips. “Seeing you is the best thing that could have happened, but it opened old wounds. He needs some time.”
“To feel,” I whisper. I’d been there once, shut down my emotions because they were too damn much. “I want to help him.”
“You are.” He grins, kissing me with a loud smack. “You’re here, back from the dead.” His expression turns serious, and he says, “Bear has to heal himself. You can’t fix him.”
“I know.” I stare at the ceiling, counting the tiles to help repress the urge to go to my brother. “It sucks.”
The loud knock at the front door drowns out Ink's voice. The sound triggers the dogs, who begin to bark. Ink curses under his breath, pulling on a pair of jeans as he walks to the door.
My clothes are in the kitchen, so I grab a T-shirt from his closet and slip it on. It falls below my knees, so everything is covered. I make my way out of the bedroom, following the raised voices down the hall to the entryway.
“Everything okay?”
Crow and Ink immediately stop talking. The look they share gives me goosebumps.
Crow gives me a half smile. “Maybe we should go sit down.”
Moving behind me, his hand on the small of my back, Ink leads me into the living room to the leather sofa. As soon as we sit, I ask, “What’s going on?”
Crow sinks onto the ottoman in front of me, arms resting on his thighs. “You want the bad or the ugly?”
“Both.” Seeing his hesitation, I continue, “I don’t shy away from bad news. Go ahead and rip off the band-aid.”
He nods. “I respect that.”
Ink settles beside me as Crow continues to speak. “Found your truck burnt up on the side of the road. Somebody torched it.”
I swallow, trying not to be sick. Somehow, that bastard had found me. I’d been so careful. Covered my tracks.
“Is that the ugly?” I hate that my voice trembles.
“No.” Crow takes my hand and squeezes it. “My boys found your dad. He was holed up outside of town.” He glances at Ink, who nods. “He won’t be bothering you anymore.”
I stare at him, not understanding.
“The only way that’s going to happen is if he’s—”
“Dead.”
It’s like my soul left my body. I feel a lightness, unlike anything I’ve experienced. It’s horrible to be happy someone’s dead, but all I feel is relief. The monster I’ve been running from my entire life is gone.
I don’t know how to live without him, to be free of the fear and the pain I live with daily.
“He’s gone?”
Ink nods, taking me in his arms. “He’s gone,” he repeats. “You’re free.”
“Oh my god.” I hold onto Ink, sobs wracking my body. “It can’t be real. It’s not real.”
“Shh…” he whispers into my hair. “I told you we’d keep you safe. “You’re free.
Ink
Leaning against the bedroom wall, I watch the incredibly strong woman in my bed. Now that her father’s dead, she needs to take some time and heal. She’s resilient, but this is going to be hard as fuck, both for her and Bear.
I grab a fleece blanket from a chair nearby and tuck it around her prone body. There’s a dog on either side of her, trying to assure themselves—and her—that she’s all right.
Grabbing a beer, I step into the night. Fresh air always helps me think. I’ve barely turned the corner when I see Bear’s bike parked in front of the garage. He’s leaning against it, staring at the sky.
