Madison blushes hard.
I glance at the other girl. “Can you guys give us a minute with Tiger?”
The girl scoffs. “Are you serious?”
Tiger looks shy. The other two start mouthing off—something about boundaries and consent and respecting her space—but I don’t hear them.
Because all I can see is how Tiger likes not being the center of attention, how she’ll avoid any confrontation.
“Tiger?” I mutter, reaching for her.
Jax and Zephyr keep their distance. Smart. Don’t crowd her.
I tug her under my arm and lean down so only she can hear. “Everything okay?”
Her face is snug against my chest as she nods.
“Give us a second,” I say to the girls.
They pout but back off.
I pull Tiger toward Jax and Zephyr, away from the two girls. Then Jax and Zephyr individually pull her into a hug. Gentle. Careful.
“What are you guys doing here?” she asks quietly.
“We needed to know if you were okay,” Zephyr says.
I lick my lips and lean down again. “We can’t stop thinking about you. So how about you give us your number so these two can stop parking outside of your house every night.”
Zephyr hits my chest.
“What?” I ask.
Tiger blushes. “I can’t give you my number. My dad will know, and he’ll—”
“What? Ground you?” I joke.
She folds her arms, looking at the ground.
“Shit.” I wince. “Sorry.”
Jax tilts her chin up. “You’re always welcome at our place.”
She shakes her head.
I put an arm around her shoulders. “You should stay at mine.”
She looks up at me, then back at Jax. “Thanks for the offer, but I won’t leave my sister.”
“She’s only ten,” Zephyr says gently.
“Yeah,” Jax adds. “So are you going to live here until you’re thirty?”
Tigerlily blinks.
“You can’t do that now, can you?” I tease.
She looks up at me, and her expression shifts.
