Page 134 of Nothing But Air

“Not…going anywhere.” His words came out slurred. “Too dizzy. You go. Get help.”

“We’re not leaving you.” Eden knelt beside him.

“Have to.” A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Save your girl, Teague. That’s an order.”

Your girl.

Teague’s chest tightened. He pulled the velvet pouch from his jacket and dumped it out, then pressed the antique key into Marcus’s palm. Something like peace settled over the man’s battered features.

“My grandfather’s legacy.” His fingers closed around it. “Thank you.”

“Thank me when we get you out of here.” Teague stood. “Which we will. The rescue team is still coming. They’ll find you.”

“And if Kyle finds me first?”

“Then you hit him with another stick. You still hold the home-run record, remember?”

Marcus managed a weak laugh. “Go. Please. Before he comes up here.”

Teague looked at the passage. At Marcus. At Eden.

Every option was bad. But staying here while Kyle hunted them and Marcus deteriorated—that was worse.

“You should take Marcus instead.” Eden’s voice was quiet. Defeated. “Leave me here. I brought Kyle. I vouched for him. I’m the reason?—”

“No.”

“Teague—”

“You trusted the wrong person. That’s on Kyle, not you.” He held her gaze. “We all mess up. Trust the wrong people. Miss signs we should have caught.”

“I should have seen what he was.”

“Should have, could have, would have.” His hand found her good one. Her fingers were cold. Trembling. “You know what that gets you? Five years of regret and a really unhealthy relationship with risk.”

“Speaking from experience?”

“Extensive experience.” His thumb traced across her knuckles. “Chip died and I spent every day since trying to earn my way back. Be good enough. Fast enough. Brave enough. Like if I just pushed hard enough, it would balance the scales.”

“Did it work?”

“What do you think?”

She was quiet for a moment. “I think you’re still trying.”

“Not anymore.” He squeezed her hand. “God doesn’t need me to be perfect first. Doesn’t need me to clean myself up or earn my way back. He wants me—all my messiness, all my mistakes, all of it.”

A pause.

“And same goes for you.” He cleared his throat. “And not just God. I know my declaration earlier wasn’t the right time. It sort of just slipped out when I was yelling at Kyle. But it slipped out because it was true. I love you. I want you. Messiness and all.”

Eden’s eyes filled. “That was smoother than your usual lines.”

“I’ve been practicing.”

“In the middle of a life-and-death situation?”

“Best time for it. High stakes. Nowhere to run. You have to listen to me.”