Cole's smile faded. "I miss her so much it fuck.ing hurts."
The honesty in his voice made Mason release his wrist.
For a moment, neither man spoke. They stood in the dim hallway, two brothers who had spent years protecting one another from enemies outside their home while struggling to admit when the real damage came from their own mistakes.
Mason understood Cole's pain. He knew what it felt like to watch Sage pull away, to wonder whether she would ever trust him again, and to hate himself for the moments when he had failed her.
He also knew that neither of them could demand her forgiveness.
"She's not a prize we get to win because we love her," Mason said quietly. "I know you understand that, even if it drives you f*****g insane. She has to decide what she wants, and we have to respe
