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Burn huffs. “She’s fine.”
“Talia is very much not fine. And she’s the only reason I didn’t kill you. So you had better own up to it all, admit your mistakes, and apologize to my fucking wife! Beg for her fucking forgiveness. And know that she doesn’t owe you a single thing."
Burn searches Dare's face, looking so much like his twin in this moment that tears prick my eyes. Then he nods once, a jerky motion full of emotion he can't quite contain.
"I'm sorry," Burn says to Dare. "I was just trying to help. And..." He glances at me, uncertainty splashing over his face. "I'm sorry to you, too, Talia. I was trying to protect my twin."
Tears shine in his eyes as he says it and my heart actually aches for him.
Dare waits several beats before pulling him into an embrace. Burn goes rigid for a heartbeat before melting against his brother. They cling to each other, two boys grown into men but not yet ready to face the world alone.
Watching them reconcile after so long, I lay a hand over my belly and smile through my tears.
"God damn," Burn curses. "I've missed you, fucker."
Dare's mouth curves up. He stays quiet but I can guess just how badly he has craved fraternal connection. I have the feeling that this means a lot to him.
“You too,” Dare grits out. He releases his twin brother and pushes him away.
The feud is over, but the damage remains. Years of hurt and betrayal don't fade overnight, even with the best of intentions. Dare and Burn have a long road ahead of them if they want to rebuild the brotherhood they once shared.
Still, it's a start. That's more than they've had in far too long.
Dare threads his hand through mine and squeezes it, looking straight ahead. The stone angel stands, her hands held aloft, her limbs covered with algae and pocked by years of harsh salt water. We both stare at the grave, unsure what to say.
“This feels awkward,” Dare sighs. “Maybe it’s been too long. Maybe I’ve missed my chance to mourn Mom.”
Burn wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Talk to Mom’s grave. She can hear you. Tell her everything you need to say."
Dare swallows hard and blows out a breath. He stares at the stone obelisk.
"The day you died, I lost Burn, too. We were so close as children, able to communicate without words. But after you were gone..." He shakes his head. "Gradually, we grew apart. The unbreakable bond between us shattered, leaving jagged edges that cut whenever we were together. I know that it wasn’t your fault, Mom. But you left us to the wolves after you died."
Burn's face twists with anguish. He bows his head. "I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you, but I was drowning in my own grief. Losing our connection was like losing a limb. Like losing Mom all over again. I think I’ve mourned it for my entire life."
"As have I." Dare clasps his hands in front of his body. "Perhaps it's time we forgave each other... and ourselves. To rebuild what was lost, stronger than before."
Joy flickers in Burn's eyes as he gazes at his brother. "I'd like that."
They embrace, clinging to each other. I breathe a sigh of relief, wiping away tears of my own. At long last, these two souls have found their way home.
Dare pulls back, patting his brother’s cheek. "She would be proud of the men we've become. Of the family we're building back up again."
The ghosts of the past fade away, no longer standing between them. A new chapter begins—one of healing, hope and a love that transcends all else.
We stay for another half an hour and then walk back to the speedboat, driving it the long way around, through the narrow, windy river and out onto the open ocean once more. Burn slumps in the corner of the boat, picking the backseat and promptly falling asleep. I ride shotgun, keeping my eyes open though I’ve been through quite a bit in the last twelve hours.
As he motors the boat down the coast, Dare turns to me, eyes gleaming softly. "You know, when I first met you, I was drowning.”
“Were you?” I ask. My eyebrows rise. It was not what I expected him to say.
He nods. “I was adrift in a sea of sorrow and regret, certain I would never find my way back to shore. But your light guided me through the darkness. You don’t know it, but you healed me. You saw beyond the scars of my past into the man I could become. You made me want to be that man, if only to deserve you."
His words pierce my heart, unleashing a storm of emotion. I reach over and cover his hand with my own, a tear slipping down my cheek. "You were always that man, Dare. I merely helped you remember the truth of who you are."
He kisses me then, a sweet and tender kiss that speaks of forever.
ChapterEight
