Page 41 of Erik's Salvation
Erik breathed through the anger in his chest as it bubbled to the surface. Not anger at his brother. Anger at the fucking world for turning his life into what it was. For taking people from him.
He lunged forward, throwing blow after blow but only landing half of them. Nate was as good as Erik now, returning each hit with a punch of equal force. Some landed, and Erik almost preferred when they did. Because the physical pain took away from the mental and emotional turmoil. It competed with the devastation that tried to desolate him.
His brother didn’t say anything as they danced around each other, exchanging blows. How the man knew Erik needed silence while he got rid of this angst inside him, he had no fucking clue.
After what felt like a good hour, they finally stopped, and Nate broke the silence. “How are you feeling?”
He pulled his gloves from his hands, letting several deep breaths move through his chest. “Like I can breathe again.”
There was a flicker of emotion in Nate’s eyes. It came and went so quickly, Erik could almost convince himself it wasn’t there. The entire family knew what Erik had lost. But Nate understood the extra weight of also losing team members. He’d lost one of his own team members while on a mission. A man who was as close as a brother.
Nate stepped forward and grasped his shoulder. “I didn’t want you to be alone today, brother.”
“I could be in a roomful of people and still feel alone.” Fuck, that was more honesty than he’d meant to give.
“I understand. Doesn’t mean you should be.” There was a heavy pause, then one side of Nate’s mouth lifted. “I hear you have a neighbor.”
“Who the hell told you that?” But he already knew.
“Andi. Said you helped her out at a bar, then took her home.”
Damn, his sister had a big mouth. “Her name’s Hannah.”
His brother raised a brow like he was waiting for more. He wouldn’t get it.
Finally, Nate sighed. “You know it’s okay for you to move on, right? Vicky would want you to be happy.”
“Vicky would hate me for what I did to our family.”
This time, Nate’s brows pulled together. “You really believe that?”
“I killed them.” Each word felt like a physical blow that landed heavier than the one before.
Nate’s eyes narrowed, and an anger Erik rarely saw in his little brother burned to life. “No, you didn’t. That asshole broke into your house and killed her.”
“Because ofme. Because I led the mission to capture and kill his crew and shut down his organization.”
“That doesnotmake what he did your fault.”
So much damn conviction. Erik didn’t have even a shred of it.
Nate’s stare burned into him. “Tell me you understand what I’m saying.”
His jaw clicked. “I understand, Nate.” He just didn’t believe it.
* * *
Hannah pausedin putting the dishes away as she caught sight of Erik moving to the fence separating their properties. The man looked like he was on a mission. He slipped through the gate and crossed her yard. The look on his face was… God, she didn’t even have words. It was like deep torment.
Only ten minutes ago, she’d seen a man leave his house. Someone who looked just like Erik. A brother, perhaps? Did he have something to do with Erik’s mood?
She waited, expecting to hear her doorbell ring. When it never came, she lowered the towel to the counter and looked out the living room window to see Erik slipping into the woods on the other side of her house.
Where was he going?
Before she could think better of it, she grabbed her jacket, slipped on her shoes, and went outside.
She hadn’t gone into the woods much, mostly because the Wenatchee River, which wound down from Lake Wenatchee, ran through town and her property. The widest parts of the river were actually right there in her woods. It had been the one downside of her purchase.
