Sworn to Protect (Vows of the Heart) (38 page)

Nathan’s shoulders bowed as if under a great weight. Suddenly he shot to his feet and strode for the door. “I need a drink,” he growled.

Before Ethan could stop him, Bethany, with their baby in her arms intercepted, blocking the door. The baby fussed then started to cry. Horror clawed at Ethan as a memory forced itself upon his vision. A memory of Nathan’s fist landing on her jaw.

“Nathan, don’t do this,” she said. “Don’t make the same mistakes as before. Don’t shut us out.” Carefully, Bethany placed the baby in his arms. “Remember, you promised her a pony.”

Nathan gazed down at the crying child. Brick by brick, Ethan watched his brother’s defenses crumble. He returned to his chair and sank into it. He gently soothed the baby until she stopped crying
, but tears streamed down his own cheeks. He looked at Ethan.

“You have all I ever wanted in life.”

Ethan’s throat tightened. “And you can have it too, Nathan. That’s why I did all of this. I want to help you find the answers. Please, this time, don’t shut me out.”

“You have helped, Ethan. You and Bethany…you have no idea what you have given me.” He looked again at the photos. “But I have to find her. I have to know what happened.”

Ethan studied him a long moment then nodded. “I understand. But, Nathan, hear my words.” He paused and leaned forward. “You are not alone in this.”

“Never alone,” Bethany echoed and again gripped his shoulder.

Faith, now awake, cooed and blew bubbles. Her chubby fingers reached out and gripped Nathan’s chin.

Nathan again kissed her forehead and handed the baby back to Bethany. He rose. “Thank you,” he said softly and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. “Because of you, my brother and I have a future…I have a family again.” He turned and his gaze focused on Ethan. “And you, you little shit….” He hauled Ethan into a rough embrace. “Thank you.”

Ethan slapped him soundly on the back. “Any time, Nathan, you know that.”

“Yeah, I do now.” He picked up the file on Ethan’s desk. He looked from Ethan to Bethany and back again. “There is something I should have told you long ago.”

“What’s that?” Ethan asked.

“When they brought you in half dead after Cordova tried to kill you. I was there with you in the hospital. I stayed with you for days until the doctors knew for sure if you would live or die.”

Ethan blinked in shock. He remembered nothing after Cordova killed Tony and David. Nothing until he awoke alone in the hospital a week later.

“Nathan, why didn’t you tell me?”

Nathan waved him off. “All I could think about was those years we wasted at each other’s throats. I couldn’t get them back, Ethan. I’m not doing that again.” He drew a deep breath into his lungs and held up the file. “I will find the answers.” He turned and strode out of Ethan’s office, closing the door firmly behind him.

Ethan returned to his chair
, shock coiling through him.

“I’m worried sick about him.”

“I know,” Ethan said. “I am too, but this time it will be different.”

“What makes you say that?”

“We will be there for him, Bethany. Just like he was there for me, but I never knew it.” He paused and shook his head. “After Dad died, I thought I’d never be able to put my family back together. But here we are building it anew.”

Ethan
moved away from his desk and pulled Bethany under his arm, his free hand caressing Faith’s head. He and Bethany had struggled to agree on a name. But when Ethan had held his daughter for the first time in the birthing room, he uttered her name…Faith…one they had never discussed, he never knew where it came from,
but it was absolutely perfect then…just like it was right now.