Cade stared after the quickly vanishing Delia. She wanted to be alone, she’d made that clear, but he wasn’t convinced being alone was the best thing for her.

She seemed perfectly in control, but he knew that was what she wanted him to see, that beneath that mask of icy elegance was a woman close to shattering.

And why wouldn’t she be? He’d just destroyed what she saw as her only hope to get her brother, though he didn’t believe that to be true. It went deeper than that, though, which is what disturbed him.

Whether she admitted it or not, she had calculated her self-worth on her past. And discovering she’d come from two selfish strangers who couldn’t care less about the tiny miracle of life they’d created had destroyed her.

It made her feel as though she was nothing, as though she deserved nothing, when in his opinion, she deserved the world. She certainly deserved to have someone love her. Her sisters did, but as hard as it was to believe, Cade wasn’t quite certain that Delia did.

She was probably right this minute heading back toward the house, channeling her loss into that cool calm collected front she’d perfected.

She’d be hell to live with today, he knew. Not that he was a glutton for punishment, but he figured that being the bearer of bad news would not endear him to her. She’d probably go after his hide, rather than silently torture herself all day.

Who was he kidding? He wanted to find her, haul her close and never let go.

He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. The burning ache to hold her in his arms could not be endured. With a heartfelt oath, he left the barn to find her.

Only, she wasn’t heading toward the house as he’d first assumed. No, somewhere along the way, his city girl must have lost a good part of her reserve about the wilderness, because she was heading toward the hills, her long legs striding with purposeful confidence, her shoulders back and proud.

She didn’t want his company.

He followed, anyway.

Delia didn’t know where she was headed, only that she had to go. Her vision wavered with each step she took, and her throat and chest burned so badly she could scarcely breathe.

But soon walking didn’t satisfy her. It wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t taking her far enough, so she burst into a run and let loose through the woods as fast as she could go.

When she was beyond exhaustion, she stopped, sagging against a tree. Over the blood roaring in her ears, she could hear the river.

Staggering, she turned toward it and found herself on a high bank, staring down at the river as it rushed past rocks and sand. She stood there all alone with her misery, with God’s glory spread out before her.

How had things fallen apart so, when only days ago she’d felt as though she had the world in her palm?

She wasn’t heir.

She wasn’t going to get Jacob.

Her heritage was one of greed and selfishness.

And the only man she might have ever been able to love didn’t, or couldn’t, love her back.

That last thought pretty much burst the fragile dam she’d been clinging to. With the tears finally overflowing, she sank to her knees on the frozen bank of the river and dropped her head into her hands.

Cade found her like that, kneeling away from him, sobbing her heart out in tune with the river. It was heart-wrenching, made all the more so because he knew she felt as if she had no choice but to hide to cry.

She truly believed she was completely alone in this.

“Delia.”

She jerked, the only sign she’d heard him, and went utterly still. Her shoulders stiffened with the weight she carried, and in that moment he would have done anything to ease her burden.

How to make this better?

There was a gap between them, a gap he’d put there. What would happen if he breached it just this once?

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I’m so sorry.”

She didn’t move, just remained terribly silent.

“I know it didn’t work out the way you wanted, but it can still-”

“Go away.” She said this quite clearly, though her voice broke slightly on the last syllable. “Just leave me alone.”

“Delia.” Was he supposed to be able to do that? “You’re crying, let me-”

“I’m not crying,” she said fiercely, taking care to keep her back to him. Her long golden hair fell forward, exposing her sweet neck, making her look young, too young for all she’d been through, and so sad his heart ached. “I told you, I’m fine.”

She was shaking with the effort to hold back the storm of tears he’d interrupted, he could see that now. And something within him trembled, too. “Delia, please.” He sank to his knees behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, moving slowly, afraid to spook her; she felt as fragile as priceless china. He slid his hands down her arms to her hands and linked their fingers. He wanted to turn her around and hug her tight, but she had to do this, had to make the decision to let herself go in front of him. Gently he tugged at her resisting form, pulling her back against his chest. “Let me in. Come on, sweetheart, let me in.”

“No.” She held back, until their bodies touched, until he crossed their joined hands in front of her, hugging her tightly to him, bending over her shoulder to press his cheek to hers.

“No,” she said again, less firmly and with far more tension in her husky voice.

“Yes,” he whispered, rubbing his jaw on hers. “You’re not alone in this. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”

“But for how long?” She struggled again. “Until your past haunts you again and you take off?”

No one knew better than he that truth hurts far more than lies. He closed his eyes, feeling the pain his actions had caused. “Never mind,” she choked out, trying to free herself. “Just never mind. Go away, Cade.”

As if he could. Holding her close, he put his mouth to her ear. “I can’t…I’m not going anywhere.”

“You will. You won’t be able to help yourself.”

“That’s not why you were crying.”

“I’m nothing more than a huge mistake.” She tried to turn away from him, but he held on to her.

“Delia…no, not a mistake.”

“Go away, Cade.”

She needed tough love, he decided, and he was frustrated enough to give it to her. “So you’re not Ethan’s daughter, all the better since he was a jerk, anyway. Now you know for certain you don’t share his blood.”

That really stiffened her spine. “And I know for certain I’m not the heir.”

“So you’re not the heir. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter. Maddie is the only one left, and she’s always said if she turned out to be the one, she’d put Triple M in all three of your names.”

Still angry and humiliated, Delia wouldn’t look at him, but he could tell she was soaking up his words with a quivering intensity that broke his heart. He went on, “And yes, Scott is a sneaky jerk. And he might try to cause trouble, but he has his own weaknesses, and that gives us some leverage. The judge can’t ignore what we’ve told him. He can’t overlook it.” As Cade spoke, he stroked her back, trying to break through the wall she’d erected between them. “Are you listening, Delia? Do you understand? Scott can’t hurt you.”

“I understand, but really, I’m fine.”

He swore, one particular vulgar oath that wasn’t enough to express his frustration. “Don’t lie, not to me. You’re not fine. You’re just too damn stubborn to admit it.”

“My mother was stubborn,” she said dully.

“How can you compare yourself to a woman who never deserved to have such a wonderful compassionate sensitive daughter?”

“It’s true.”

“You’re going to make me really mad, Delia.”

Her reaction surprised him. She let out a laugh. Then with a soft sob, she twisted in his arms and buried her face in his neck, plastering that long willowy body he’d been dreaming about to his.