Rain’s eyes are wide in shock, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. I’ll deal with them when I have to. This is about Tria right now. Not them.
My eyes go back down as Tria clings to me, and I do all I can to make it easier. For the first time in my life, it’s not hard to comfort someone. My movements aren’t forced or awkward. I’m not looking for a way to escape. This is exactly where I want to be right now.
By the end of the service, Tria’s sobs have gentled, and she’s leaning against me as the minister carries on. She threads her fingers through mine with one hand, keeping it in her lap. I use the arm wrapped around her to run my fingers through the soft strands of her hair, trying to relax her any way that I can.
As the service wraps up, I stand with Tria, keeping her hand in mine, and lead her through the church. We stop as people try to offer their condolences, and I wait, never letting go of her hand the entire time.
When we finally reach the outside, my arm slides back around her shoulders, and I tuck her against my body. “I’ll drive you to the cemetery.”
She looks up with her sad eyes that have me wishing I could do so much more.
“Thank you,” she says hoarsely, swallowing back another sob.
After opening the door for her and helping her in, I make my way around to the driver’s side. My eyes catch Dane’s cold glare, but I don’t acknowledge it past that.
Tria’s hand finds mine the second I’m in the car. I only let go to shift gears, but I keep taking her hand back in mine in between shifts as we follow the line behind the Hearse to the graveyard.
When we get there, she waits on me to open the door, but Dane is right behind me, calling my name loudly at the wrong time.
“Don’t go,” Tria says, casting a hard look toward the man everyone adores. “He shouldn’t be doing this right now.”
Rain is tugging on Dane’s arm, probably telling him to cool down. Neither girl knows the extent of our issues, so they don’t understand why he’s so pissed. Unfortunately, I get it. Now.
“Just let me tell him to shut up,” I say softly, kissing her head before making my way toward my fuming brother.
Several others pass by me as I backtrack, and Dane shrugs Rain off as he storms toward me.
“How long have you been scheming this bullshit up?” he growls, drawing a few gasps and head-turns.
“Dane!” Rain hisses, grabbing his arm again and trying
to pull him back.
“Later, Dane. Not here. Not now. Your girl might not need you right now, because she didn’t love that asshole. But my girl does need me. You can say whatever you want later.”
His brow furrows, as if he’s confused, and I walk away to rejoin Tria. My arm immediately goes around her shoulders, and I bite back a grin when she flips Dane off. Apparently she doesn’t find him so perfect in this moment.
***
TRIA
I don’t know what Kode and Dane said to each other, but I can guess. I can’t believe Dane would do this right now. Here of all places.
Even though I was trying so hard not to fall apart, I was already on the verge of a breakdown when suddenly Kode was right there, pulling me to him like he knew I needed him. I’ve never been so grateful for anything in all my life.
I never wanted to lose it in front of him, but I couldn’t help it. It was too much, and he held me to him like he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Kode was the only one who knew I was hurting.
Dane saw me in that church. He knows I broke. Yet he wants to accost his brother in the middle of the graveyard for being a damn good person, just because he thinks it has something to do with Rain.
“I’ve got you,” Kode says against my temple as we reach the rest of the crowd. His lips brush my head gently, and I lean into him and wrap my arms around his waist. He doesn’t hesitate to return the embrace, and I hold him as my tears slip free.
The gentle patterns he rubs on my back are soothing and comforting as the casket slowly lowers into the ground, burying the two fathers I knew—the one who loved me, and the coward who ran away.
Dane looks our way, but his expression has changed. He doesn’t look like he’s ready to kill Kode right now. I’m sure I shocked him by giving him the bird in the middle of the graveyard, but he was pissing me off.
Maybe Kode has rubbed off on me more than I realized.
That thought has me smiling ever so slightly for the first time since I heard about my father’s death.