He sighed and asked the woman he was helping if she wouldn’t mind waiting a minute before he walked over to me. “He’s… I don’t even know.”

“He’s Cam,” I said in explanation.

“He’s Cam,” Xander agreed. “Look, he’s always been hard. But I never worried about him, not in the way other people did. I never thought he was a lost cause or anything.” He dropped down and took my hand. “I’m not going to lie. I was pretty pissed when I heard you two were together. I love you like a little sister, and you’ve already been through so much. Just seems unfair for you to sign up for more.”

“He won’t hurt me.” Now if only I could get him to believe that. But how could I, when the rest of the world was telling him differently?

“Not intentionally,” he agreed. “I always knew Cam loved the deepest out of all of us. He’s willing to fight me for what he thinks is right so that I don’t do what he’s afraid I won’t forgive myself for. He would have killed for Sullivan—that’s how much he loved our brother.” Xander squeezed my hand gently. “And he’s always been willing to die for you, Willow. The mine, the fire…always.”

My eyes jerked to his. They were the same shade and shape Sullivan’s had been, but it didn’t hit me in the gut the way it used to.

“I’m torn,” he admitted. “Because I love you enough to beg you to get away from him. But I love him enough to beg you not to leave him. Not to give up on him. Because I honestly think you’re the one person who can rebuild him—or break him. He’s way past ever listening to me.”

“I’ll never give up on him, Xander. I love him. I’ve always loved Camden.” I loaded each word so he understood the full value of what I was telling him.

His eyes squeezed shut, and he sucked in an audible breath. The way he nodded slowly told me that he got the message. When he opened his eyes, they were clear of the condemnation I’d expected. After all, he’d loved Sullivan more than Cam, and we both knew it.

He simply squeezed my hand and pressed his lips in a thin line as he nodded again. “I’m so sorry, and selfishly, I’m so glad. He’s his own worst enemy. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.”