He nodded. It would be Doe’s final gift to him, to their daughter. With a share of a gold mine, he could give Janna a better life. And he could get on with his own life. Heather would approve, he knew.

“For Janna’s sake, yes,” he answered.

“Heaven forbid that you should accept help for yourself,” Caitlin retorted with cutting sarcasm.

Sloan’s mouth curved in a faint grin. “I take it you’re mad at me, Cat.”

“Yes, I’m mad at you! I’m furious at you for what you did to my friend.”

“Your friend?”

“You broke her heart, Sloan. You made Heather love you and then you drove her away.”

He looked down at his hands. “You don’t think Randolf can give her a better life than I can?”

“A better life!” she yelled at him. “That is utter hogwash! Wealth and prestige never meant spit to Heather. If you haven’t figured that out by now, then you’re a complete fool.”

“I think you’re right,” Sloan agreed quietly. “I am a damned fool.”

His admission took a little wind out of Cat’s sail, but she crossed her arms and eyed him with a fierce glare. “So what does that mean?”

“It means that I know it’s my fault she left me.”

“Do you love her?”

Sloan looked away. In his mind’s eye, he saw Heather, her beautiful face softly alight with passion and love.

“Dammit, Sloan, do you love her?” he heard Cat demand furiously.

There was only one answer he could give. He loved Heather. It frightened him how much. How much he cared for her, how much he needed her.

He needed her warmth, her healing touch. He’d kept himself wrapped in darkness for so very long, but Heather had chased back the darkness. She had fought him, fought for him. She’d made him remember how to dream and how to hope. How to love. Her love had unlocked the cold prison of his heart.

He felt as if he’d awakened from a long sleep. Love. The kind of love that was wild and free. The kind that seared the heart.

“Yes,” Sloan whispered in a raw voice. “I love her. So much I hurt with it.”

He looked up to meet Wolf’s dark eyes, expecting to see regret and resignation. Instead he saw compassion, approval. Wolf knew it was time for him to let Doe go.

Caitlin raised her hands in exasperation. “Well, you sure have made a fine mess of things. So what are you going to do about it?”

“Do?” he repeated absently.

“You have to go after her.”