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My eyes burn from crying, and I rest my cheek on my bent knees. Zane has been blowing up the group chat—he’s stuck at the station and couldn’t come help—but I’m too tired to deal with it.

I tore apart my whole apartment before I caved and called my brothers to help.

I don’t even know how she could have gotten out. Must have been when I left to meet War at the bar, but I’ve replayed leaving over and over in my head and have no idea how I would have missed her little limping ass getting away.

My stomach rumbles, and I wrap my arms around my center tighter.

“Just give it up, Ian. She’s not here.” Ian looks sad as fuck when he looks down at me, moving over with slumped shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Em. I’m sure she will show up soon.”

Tears gather in my eyes all over again, and my throat burns, trying to contain the wave. The entrance door squeaks open behind me, and then Warren is sighing and sitting down on the curb next to me.

He bumps his shoulder against mine. “She’ll show up, bro. That cat loves you.”

I wipe at my cheeks and bite my lip. I thought she did, too. “That cat knows all my deepest, darkest secrets. Now she’s just out gallivanting the town. Probably gossiping about the poor, sad gay man she’s squatted with for over two and a half years with all the other cats.”

“You’re allowed to be sad about it, Em,” Ian says. It’s softer than he normally talks, and that just makes me want to cry more.

“You guys should go home. I’ll look again in the morning. Knock on the neighbor’s doors, or…or something. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll post the furry trespassers mugshot around town.”

Warren snorts and knocks into me again. “Maybe she just needed to run to see if you actually cared.”

I wipe my runny nose on my sleeve in a very classy, very dignified way and pretend that my insides don’t feel like they’re shriveling up.

“Hey, uh, guys?” Ian says. My heart kicks in my chest, and I lift my head from my knees.

“Is it her? Do you see her? Ellie?” I scramble to my feet and turn in the direction Ian is looking.

I don’t know what it means. All I know is the sight of him has the dam evaporating. The tears stream down my cheeks, and I choke out a sob. His steps quicken, and he doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me. Until his big hands grasp my wet cheeks, and he pulls my face to his chest.

“Shhhh,” he murmurs into my hair, and the kiss he presses on the top of my head breaks my heart a little more.

“What are you doing here?”

“You called me, baby.” His hands move, wrapping to the back of my head to hold me against him. My arms find their way around his waist, and I suck in a deep breath of cedar and him.

“Hey, guys,” he says and rumbles something like a laugh. I turn my head enough to see Ian gaping at us, Warren watching with a smirk and narrowed eyes.

My oldest brother watches Dillon for a long, drawn-out moment.

“You got this?” he finally asks.

“I got it, man,” Dillon responds, letting his hands find my shoulders and giving them a soft squeeze. The very last thing I want is to move away, but I do, wiping my nose again.

“Thank you for coming to help. No, I will not be discussing this with either of you.” I wave my hand at Dillon and roll my teary eyes when Ian guffaws.

“Oh, I think maybe a little discussing …”

Warren smacks Ian on the shoulder and then gently pushes him. “Let’s go, man.”

Ian balks. “What? You expect me to just—”

“Yep. Let's go.”

Dillon’s hand is warm when it finds the base of my spine. He uses his free hand to offer Warren a fist bump. Then Warren gives me his signature punch to the arm that sends me into Dillon’s side.

Ian stops talking, thank God, but the massive smile on his face is going to haunt my dreams later.