“What?”
“I need to know it’s really you. I don’t trust him.” I glance up at Kane. “I don’t fucking trust anyone anymore.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Tempe. So fucking sorry.”
Tears blur my vision, but I refuse to let them fall. “Catfish, Rafe. Answer the fucking question.”
“You hate catfish. You got something else you need to ask before you believe it’s me?”
A ray of hope cuts through the dark skies that have lined my world for a month.
“Where did you hide Daddy’s belt?” I whisper, still scared to trust, but able to let that brightness break through a little more each second.
“I burned it with gas from the extra tank for the boat. Well, I tried, but the metal wouldn’t melt, so I gave the buckle to you, and you made something out of it after you learned to solder.”
I release a ragged breath.
My brother is alive.My entire body starts to shake as my knees give way and I hit the floor. Kane tries to pull me back up, but I bat his hands away.
“You’re alive.” My voice breaks and tears rush down my face. My sobs turn to heaves. “Why the hell would you let me think you were dead? How could you do that to me?”
Kane drops to his knees beside me, but I wrap both arms around my middle, holding myself together as though I fear I’ll shatter any moment.
“I swear we didn’t have a choice,” Rafe says. “We had to keep you safe. It was the only way we knew they’d believe it.”
“Who? Who had to believe it? What are you talking about?”
Kane answers before Rafe can. “The traffickers. We needed them to think Ransom and I were both dead. We had to take the pressure off so we could eliminate them and keep you safe.”
My brain works overtime to comprehend what I’m hearing, piecing together their logic, but it still rips me to shreds when I think of how I’ve been drowning in grief for weeks.
“It was the only way,” Rafe says. “I would never put you through this if it wasn’t the only way. You know that.”
Rationally, I know my brother wouldn’t intentionally cause me pain, but I’m not completely rational yet.
“I could’ve acted. I’m a good actress.”
“I’m so sorry, Tempe. I fucked up.” Rafe sounds just as destroyed as I feel. “I should never have taken the job.Never. I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you.”
“Where are you?” I whisper. When Rafe doesn’t answer, I whip my head toward Kane. “Really? More secrets?”
“It’s safer this way,” my brother says.
“No. No more fucking secrets. I’m done with them. Done with all of it. I deserve to know.”
“Tell her, Ransom.” Kane joins the conversation again.
After a pause, Rafe answers. “I’m hunting down the last threat. Then we can live free and easy again.”
My blood, which was finally simmering rather than boiling, goes ice cold.
“You’re hunting a human trafficker who wanted you dead?” I jerk my chin toward Kane. “Why didn’t you go? You’re the killer for hire.”
Kane’s lips flatten, but Rafe is the one to reply.
“It’s my mess, Tempe. Saxon helped more than I deserved. I started this, and now it’s time for me to end it.”
“Please tell me this isn’t some kind of suicide mission. Please tell me you’re coming back to me. I can’t get you back only to lose you again. Don’t do that to me. Not now.” My voice cracks and another wave of tears trails down my cheeks. I wipe them away, but I can’t help being an emotional basket case right now. I’m entitled after this roller coaster of a month.