by Gina Azzi
Reclaiming Brave
The Kane Brothers Book Three
Gina Azzi
Contents
Prologue
1. Denver
2. Sierra
3. Denver
4. Sierra
5. Denver
6. Sierra
September
7. Sierra
8. Denver
October
9. Sierra
10. Denver
11. Sierra
12. Denver
13. Sierra
14. Denver
15. Sierra
16. Denver
17. Sierra
18. Denver
November
19. Sierra
20. Denver
21. Sierra
22. Denver
23. Sierra
24. Denver
25. Sierra
26. Denver
27. Sierra
28. Denver
December
29. Sierra
30. Denver
31. Denver
32. Sierra
33. Denver
34. Sierra
35. Denver
36. Sierra
Epilogue
Daisy’s Story
The Last First Game
Rescuing Broken
Acknowledgments
Also by Gina Azzi
About the Author
Prologue
Ring. Ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey."
"Sierra?"
Pause. A stifled sigh. "Yeah. So, listen, I know you're like, living your best life in Georgia, but I'm pregnant."
1
Denver
Three Weeks Earlier
End of August
"You all packed up?" I knock lightly against Jax's doorframe, noting the taped-up boxes and zipped suitcases.
"Pretty much," he responds on his knees, his voice muffled as his upper half is somewhere in his closet, digging around. "You think Marco will want these?" He appears suddenly, holding up a few baseball T-shirts—the ones that are white in the center with the three-quarter sleeves in red or green, or in this case, yellow.
I shrug, thinking about the kid my other brother, Carter, was partnered up with through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Georgia program. "I'm sure Carter will pass them along."
"Yeah," Jax agrees, dipping back into the closet.
A pang hits me in the chest as I watch him pack up his room. Jax has only been back a few months, and he's already taking off again. Not that I blame him. If I reconnected with the love of my life, hell, if I even had a love of my life, I would follow her to the ends of the earth if I could. Jax and Evie are moving to San Antonio on Sunday, and this is their last weekend in town. My other brother, Carter, is going on a date tonight with the first woman who makes him really smile.
I groan inwardly. Stop sounding like such a sap.
But I can't help but wish I had something, someone, like that. Someone who makes me look forward to tomorrow. Soon, it will just be Daisy and me, and then she'll get some hotshot job somewhere and leave, and it will just be me. Denver Kane, all alone in his childhood home with no real career prospects and no genuine options. This is it. I look at the chipping paint on Jax's bedroom walls and the old comforter on his bed. This is as good as it's gonna get for me.
"Den." Jax's voice pulls me from my thoughts.
"Hmm?" I look up.
He stares at me strangely, as if he's studying me. "You okay, man? I called you like three times."
"Yeah. Fine."
He continues to watch me for several seconds before shrugging. "I asked if you want to grab a few beers at Raf's tonight."
"Oh, yeah, sure."
"It's mine and Evie's last Friday night."
"I know."
"And Carter will be there with Taylor."
"Yeah."
"And Sierra is in town to see Daisy."
"What?" I glance up sharply, an image of my sister's college roommate flooding my mind: long, dark hair that curls slightly at the ends, big, soulful chocolate eyes, and a wicked grin. Sierra Begay is the most intriguing woman I've ever met. And she's completely off limits.
"Daisy invited Sierra to visit," Jax repeats.
"Oh, cool," I say, trying to keep my voice even. Inside, my head spins. Sierra will be here, under the same roof as me. For an entire weekend.
I spit a loud curse as the wrench slips from my hand, catching the edge of my finger. Straightening from under the hood of the Toyota Camry, I hold an old bandana to the cut, stemming the light bleeding. My head is all over the place today.
"All good, Den?" Dean hollers over.
"Yeah, man." I duck back under the hood, keeping the bandana pressed to my hand as I try to clear my mind from thoughts of her.
Ever since I found out she's coming this weekend, she's all I can think about. Worming her way into my head and sabotaging my thoughts, she's suddenly everywhere, and I don't like it. In fact, I fucking hate it.
"Owner's picking up in an hour," Dean reminds me.
"Yep. It'll be finished." I've been working at Benny's Auto Repair for almost a month. I tried working for myself but wasn’t earning enough money and was grateful when an old buddy from high school vouched for me at Benny’s. It's all right money, no issues with my background, and Benny doesn't give a shit that I still do jobs on the side to make extra dough.
For a guy like me, it's a consistent paycheck and legit work, so I have no complaints.
Turning the wrench another half an inch, I tighten the bolt until sweat beads on my forehead. Blowing out a deep breath, I drop the wrench next to the tools I’m working with and walk over to a side table to grab my water bottle.
Guzzling back the cool liquid, I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts of Sierra from my mind. The smooth, rich undertones of her skin, her large, dark eyes, and the long, thick sheet of black hair falling like a curtain down her back. Damn it.
I need to forget her. Forget she's going to be under the same roof as me for the entire weekend and finish this job, so I can go home and crack a cold beer.
I just have to get through the rest of today.
Easier said than done.
2
Sierra
"I'm so happy you're here." My best friend Daisy wraps me up in a warm hug the second I clear baggage claim.
I hug her back, my fingers almost clenching at the fabric of her tank top. God, I've missed her. Four years spent as roommates and best friends, and suddenly it's like she's been ripped from my life. Only now, back in her presence, am I able to find my footing. "You have no idea."
She pulls back, her nose wrinkling. "Is it that bad?"
I sigh, gesturing toward the airport exit as I roll my small suitcase behind me. "It's not bad. It's just…it's different. Being on my own without you is really like being on my own. The apartment is too quiet. You should have come to New York this summer like I begged you to a million times. How’re you adjusting?"
Daisy fiddles with the ends of her hair as she glances at me from the corner of her eye. "You know I would have come if I could afford it.”
“Daisy, you don’t need –”
“Stop. I’m not going to mooch off of you. Or technically, James.” She raises her eyebrows at me, referencing my generous stepdad who still bankrolls my life. And hasn’t said a thing about my credit card bills this summer. “I still haven't found a job. No interviews. No prospects. Nothing. And until that happens, I’ll be right here in Ashby County."
"You will find a job, Dais. Trust me, you are crazy qualifie
d for so many awesome positions. Any company would be lucky to have you. Anderson Marketing and PR -"
But Daisy holds up a hand and shakes her head before I can bring up my stepfather’s marketing company again. I’ve been offering to pass along her resume for weeks but she keeps shutting down the option.
I bite my tongue. Whatever else I say will make me look like a spoiled little brat. Daisy and I graduated together in May, and while she's been actively job searching and seeking, reaching out to alumni and writing a bazillion cover letters, I've been circumventing my mom and stepdad's attempts to pull me into the family business. They own a public relations and marketing conglomerate based in London, with offices throughout the UK, slowly expanding into mainland Europe. A company all my brothers—blood, half, and step—work at. Plus, my cousins. A company promising me financial stability and security, and the kicker is I wouldn't even start at the bottom. Nope, I could work under one of my brothers, or two cousins for that matter, and within a year, be an associate.
But I don't want it. I never have. But how the hell could I openly admit that to Daisy Kane, my hardworking, dedicated, determined, and stupidly driven best friend?
I can't, so I forgo the topic completely. "What are we doing tonight?"
She smiles, her whole face opening like sunshine blocking out a momentary storm cloud. "Raf's."
I snort, nodding in agreement. Raf's is seriously a dive, but it's a frequent hotspot in Daisy's tiny hometown. And while I'd never want it to be my hangout, there is something charming about it. Especially in comparison to the nightclubs in New York I danced at all summer. Sometimes, a girl just wants a piece of familiarity and small-town love.
"It gets better."
"What does?"
"Carter has a date tonight," Daisy practically squeals, clasping her hands together as we step through the airport doors, and the humidity hits me full on.
"Your brother? A date?"
"I know. It's insane that he convinced someone to go out with him."
I snort, rolling my eyes. Carter Kane is smoking hot. All Daisy's brothers are. I'm sure there are girls a mile long lining up to even get a smile from Carter. No, the surprising thing is that Carter doesn't do dates. He does hookups. So, this girl, she must be special.
"Are we going to tease him relentlessly before he picks her up?" I guess, as that's exactly what I'd do to any of my brothers.
"Even better."
I raise my eyebrows.
"We're going to crash his date!"
I lean my head back and laugh, throwing my arm around Daisy. God, I've really missed my best friend. How could I possibly move to the UK and leave my best girl behind? Why won’t she just come with me? It’s bad enough I’m in New York, and she’s in Georgia, but a two-hour flight definitely beats a time zone change.
"Brain freeze." I cringe, swallowing a massive gulp of my cherry Slurpee.
Daisy snorts beside me, passing me a napkin from the cup holder of the white Jetta she's driving.
"I like your ride," I comment, wiping up the Slurpee drops falling from my mouth.
She shrugs. "Den's fixing cars up these days, so it's a loaner."
"It's a sweet loaner."
"Says the girl who drives a Benz."
I roll my eyes. "It was meant to bribe me, not help me out. And I don’t even have it anymore since I’m in the city."
She laughs. "Sierra, take the job."
I look out the window, noting the lush green of the passing trees and shrubbery. It would be so easy to say yes, to just take the job. But it’s not what I want. I want to pursue my art, I always have. I’m not going to give up on my passion, on my dream, for a job in a field I’m not interested in.
"How much longer is Jax home?" I ask instead, referencing Daisy's brother who is getting ready to move to Texas with his girlfriend. Out of all of the Kanes, Jax is the one I know the least, in terms of time spent in his company, but Denver's the toughest one to figure out. I may not have spent a lot of time with Jax, but he's easygoing and open, whereas Denver's always been a murky shadow in the background. He's tough to read, impossible to make smile, and sometimes I think he can't stand me.
"This is his last weekend."
"No way!"
"I know." Daisy turns to me, taking her eyes off the road to give me puppy eyes. "I'm going to miss him like crazy. It’s been so great having him around for the whole summer and getting to spend so much time with him. But I'm happy for him and Evie. Plus, now we have an excuse to visit San Antonio."
"There is that," I agree.
"Want to grab a late lunch in Savannah? Raf's won't pick up 'til tenish, and we don’t have any other plans."
"And we can't annoy Carter all day if we’re crashing his date tonight.”
"True. Lunch?"
"Done." I smile at my bestie as she makes a left and heads toward downtown Savannah.
Sometimes, the best things are just being with the people who get you.
Now, that is a real luxury.
It's early evening when Daisy and I enter the Kane home. The living room is empty, and I leave my suitcase by the stairs, flopping onto the couch with Daisy dropping down beside me. She kicks her feet up on the coffee table and toes off her sandals, letting them fall to the floor.
I love being at the Kanes. It’s warm and comfortable and reminds me a lot of how Lach and I grew up, especially in the first years after Mom left Dad, before she met James. Lach and I relied on each other for everything and spent most of our afternoons hanging on the living room couch, waiting for friends to come over, playing video games or watching movies.
I glance at Daisy as she scrolls through messages and emails on her phone, the frown between her eyebrows deepening. She gives a heavy sigh, and I want to hug her. I’ve offered several times to put her in contact with Lachlan or my cousin Finn but she refused, saying she doesn’t want to leave the US. Given her resigned expression and the dejection that weighs on her shoulders, I’ll offer again in a few weeks. If she doesn’t have any job bites by then, she may be open to other options.
"Job hunt?" I ask softly.
"More like job fail."
"You're going to find a job you love, Daisy. A few months one way or the other won't make much of a difference."
She mumbles under her breath, and I don't press her since it sounds like "easy for you to say."
"Let's go out and have some serious fun tonight. Me and you. Like old times." I raise my eyebrows at her as she turns to look at me.
"Want to start the party early?" She tilts her head toward the kitchen and what I presume is waiting alcohol.
"As if I'd ever say no to that."
She giggles and dashes into the kitchen, returning with a bottle of wine and two glasses. The bottle is already opened, and she pulls out the cork and pours two glasses, handing me one.
"To being unemployed." She raises a glass in my direction.
"But still hot," I counter.
She snorts and we clink glasses. I take a tentative sip of the wine and feel my nose wrinkle, mirroring Daisy's expression. "What is this?"
She shrugs. "Never trust my brothers to buy wine. Ever. It’s probably something Den cooks with."
"Whatever." I take another sip. "It's not bad after you get used to the taste."
Footsteps sound on the staircase, and Carter's frame comes into view.
"Ow-oo, ow-oo!" Daisy catcalls him, whistling obnoxiously.
He gives her the middle finger, and I laugh, suddenly missing the easy camaraderie I have with my own brothers. I've barely seen them this summer. Daisy and I walk toward the bottom of the staircase to give Carter hell.
"Sierra Grace." He turns to me, smiling.
"Hi, Carter." I breathe him in. "You even smell good. A shower and cologne? This must be one lucky lady."
"Shut it." He waves me away, and the familiarity I have with him warms my heart. It's nice to feel like I belong somewhere every once in a while, especially since my entire family is curr
ently in the UK, and I'm here, alone.
Daisy stares at Carter with wide, shiny eyes. A bubble of laughter falls from her mouth.
"What are you staring at?" he asks her curiously.
"This is the best."
"What is?" A flash of annoyance crosses Carter's face, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning. He really likes this woman. And Daisy is dying to give him hell for it.
"You. Actually getting bent out of a shape over a girl. Who would have thought we'd see the day?"
"Not me," a low voice says, and my shoulders tense as goosebumps break out over my skin.
Denver Kane.
I'd recognize his voice anywhere, and the sound of it crashes over me like a cresting wave. I could literally drown in Denver, and he wouldn't have a clue. His eyes cut to me, unnerving me and keeping me rooted with the intensity flaring around his irises, darkening his eyes to black.
"Hey, Denver," I manage to say, lifting my hand in a wave. I hope my voice isn't wavering.
He nods at me, businesslike, and then looks to his sister and brother, completely dismissing me. Like usual. My cheeks blaze at his rejection, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve pined for Denver since I met him during my sophomore year of college. Unnerved by how ridiculously hot he was, I was also drawn to his quiet intensity. The entire time I stayed with Daisy, I barely heard him speak but his eyes, his black eyes saw everything, even me. Although I never had a conversation with him, I knew, just knew, that if he spoke to me, it would be easy between us, natural. Instead, he remained a mystery.