The thing was, that even right up until the very end, he’d loved every minute of his family’s vagabond, wanderlustful life. He’d seen parts of the world that few ever would, and he’d soaked up the different cultures like he’d been born to it. And hell, he had.

But he’d lost Arik. And in the ensuing chaos and insanity, he’d also lost his childhood.

Once he and his sisters had landed in Wildstone, Piper had done everything in her power to bring it back to him, and in a lot of ways, she’d succeeded. But a part of him would always be that terrified ten-year-old who’d lost everything.

He stood and took Piper’s heavy bag off her shoulder, hanging it up on a hook by the front door. Then he pulled her into the kitchen and pointed to a chair.

She sat in it so mindlessly, he knew she probably hadn’t sat or eaten in twelve hours. So he did the only thing he could do for her. He fed her. He was flipping her favorite—a grilled triple cheese and turkey sandwich—when she took a deep breath.

“I’ve got something to tell you,” she said. “I’m not supposed to. I promised a friend and a work associate that I wouldn’t.” She held his gaze across the stove. “So I need you to promise me that you’re not going to run out of here. You can’t. You’re not supposed to know. It’s not my place to tell you, but . . . I know you. I know what haunts you, and I know why. So I can’t . . .” She closed her eyes. “I can’t not tell you, Gavin.”

Heart suddenly pounding, he turned off the stove, slid the sandwich onto a plate, and brought it to her. Then he squatted at her side and waited until she looked at him. “You’re scaring me, Piper.”

“I know, but if I say nothing and you find out . . .” She gave a slow shake of her head, her eyes shiny. “I’m afraid of what it might do to you. To your recovery.”

He sat back on his heels. “Not making me feel any better.”

“The shooting in the convenience store. It was an attempted robbery. When we all arrived, the shooter was still active. The cops created a diversion so several of them could enter the store. One charged the suspect. And he took the guy down too. But not before he was shot.”

Gavin had stopped breathing. “CJ.”

“Yes, but, Gavin, this isn’t the DRC, okay? It’s not Arik. CJ isn’t going to die—”

Gavin surged to his feet and headed to the door, but Piper caught him with surprising strength, holding on to him, refusing to let go. He could have fought her, but his knees were wobbly, and he realized she was talking to him.