“Go back inside,LouLou,” Huck ordered, standing, and letting Flea take over.
Instead oflistening to her brother, Louisa pulled her robe closer around her and made herway over to me. “What happened?”
I shuddered.“You don’t want to know.”
She slid her arminto mine and frowned. “I seriously do. Tell me.”
I filled her inon everything as Flea dealt with Stewart. My dad arrived about twenty minuteslater, along with Hatch and a couple of the other brothers.
“I’d feel betterif you were locked up safe in your place, Louisa,” Dad said. “We’ve got Daisycovered, yeah?”
“Oh, ah, sure.”
“I’ll call youlater,” I promised.
She nodded andheaded inside.
Uncle Hatch madehis way to me and cupped my face. “Baby girl, look at me.” I met his eyes andhe smiled gently. “This asshole is never gonna bother you again. Got it?”
I nodded.“You’re not going to kill him, right?”
He frowned.“What’s the rule, Ducky?”
I wrinkled mynose. “Well, excuse me for making sure you don’t unalive someone because ofme.”
He turned to myfather. “You can field that one.”
Hatch followedFlea and the others down the hall and Dad made his way to me and Huck. Insteadof making me feel any better, or answering any of my questions about what theyplanned to do with Stewart, however, Dad just turned to Huck and asked, “Yougot Daisy?”
Huck wrapped anarm around my waist. “Yeah.”
And then Dad wasgone. It was like no one had ever been there, and Huck was closing us back intomy condo, locking the door and resetting the alarm.
“Daisy?” Huckcalled.
“Hm?” I turnedto face him.
“Baby, I’vecalled your name four times.” He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Areyou freaking out yet?”
I met his eyes,nodding my head, and making a run for him. He opened his arms and I crashedinto him as I burst into tears. He pulled me close as I melted down, strokingmy back and letting me cry it out.
“Hey, it’s overnow. No one’s ever gonna get close enough to touch you,” he whispered.
“I know. I’venever worried about that,” I rasped. “It’s just all so…” I shuddered. “Gross.”
“Yeah, I getthat.”
“What would havehappened if you weren’t here?” I looked up at him.
“I suspect yourdad still would have taken care of it.”
“Yes, but whowould have taken care ofme?”
“Fuck,” hebreathed out, his mouth covering mine as he lifted me high enough so I couldwrap my legs around his waist.
He carried meback to my bedroom, dropping me gently onto the mattress where he stretched outbeside me and continued his delicious assault on my mouth. I slid my hands underhis T-shirt, running my fingers up his chest, desperate to get closer. Iswitched positions, pushing him onto his back and straddling his hips, beforeyanking off my robe and pulling my shirt up over my head.
“Fuck, Daisy,”he breathed out, cupping my breasts, and then before things could get good, hesuddenly flipped me onto my back and knifed off the bed, covering me with theblanket draped over my bench.
