Benji just smiled through the heartache. ‘If you ever find the strength to leave him, Mom, I’ll always give you a place to go. But until then …’
Pale-faced and tired, she nodded. With her back to her husband, she mouthed, ‘I love you.’
And then she just stood there and watched as her only child walked away.
Benji kept his head down and waved half-heartedly at Bob on his way out. He climbed into his truck, carefully backed out, and turned towards home.
As much as he tried to ignore the hateful words, his father’s accusations dug deep and settled in, uprooting all those insecurities he’d kept locked away and giving them free rein to run rampant through him.
That couple – the drunk and his downhearted wife – were where he came from. He had none of the Hunt’s strength or love or work ethic in his blood; he’d just been raised with it by James and Ava. And there was a terrible, terrible fear within him that Sierra knew it too.
Before, he’d wanted their baby as much as to be her dad as to guarantee that Sierra would always be in his life. And God had just laughed at that and taken his guarantee away anyway. So, now he was a man who had nothing but love to give a woman who came to him with everything else – money and family and a legacy.
Benji had almost talked himself into a full-blown depression by the time he arrived home. But then he pulled through the Hunt Ranch gates. The sun was setting. The ranch’s green hills were covered in a gold sky. The frigid air nipped in through his open window, filling him with new vitality. The horses, grazing peacefully, settled his heart.
And when he pulled up to the ranch house and saw everyone gathered on the porch, waiting for him, he exhaled a huge breath of relief. Hope filled his chest.
Familycouldbe made.
When he’d forgotten that as a child or a young man, Ava had made sure to remind him. Although he hadn’t been big on words, James had quietly shown him. But now with them gone, Benji realized that he’d have to have the courage to remind himself – and to fight for it. For them. Because the Hunts were his family. They were the only place he’d ever wanted to belong since the age of five, when Mav had brought him home for the first time and James had put him on a horse and a very-pregnant Ava had cheered him on. Since Ava had baked them fresh cookies that had tasted like baking soda – and had been the best thing he’d ever put in his mouth.
Nina held Poppy back while Maverick and Sierra approached him as he climbed out of the truck. While Mav looked calm and ready for anything, Sierra looked mad as hell.
She slotted herself under his arm and snuggled in. ‘What happened? Are you okay?’
He returned the squeeze and kissed the side of her head. But because they needed to know, he said, ‘I walked. Officially. If they ever come here – either of them – you let me knowafteryou call the police. They’re not welcome.’
Sierra stilled. ‘Benji, your mom—’
‘She’s made her choice. I can’t help her as long as she stays with him, and she knows that. I’ve given her too many chances, and I’m only enabling her at this point.’
Mav nodded solemnly. He knew the worst of it, those things Benji had never had the courage to tell Sierra in case she pitied him, or worse, was disgusted by him and where he came from. ‘What do you need, man?’
Benji smiled though it cost him. He shifted so that Sierra was in front of him, wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her shoulder, seeking comfort from her warm body against his. ‘I have everything I need right here.’
Because it was expected, Mav rolled his eyes. But he couldn’t quite hide his smile.
Sierra reached back one hand to stroke the hair at the nape of Benji’s neck. ‘Yes, you do,’ she affirmed. ‘We’re your family, Benji. And we better be enough for you.’ She turned in his arms and placed her lips lovingly on his. ‘Because you’re everything to us.’
Sierra knew that Benji had pulled her in front of him to try and hide that old insecurity from her. But she didn’t have to look at his eyes to know it was there.
She suffered no illusions. Benji had done it for her – maybe not cutting off Silas but certainly saying goodbye to his mom. He didn’t give up on people – ever. Except, apparently, if Sierra was tangled between them.
‘How about we crack some beers?’ Mav asked. ‘We can grill some steaks, throw a salad together?’
‘Yeah.’ Benji squeezed his arms tighter around Sierra, keeping her close. ‘Sounds good.’
Mav nodded, and when neither Sierra nor Benji made a move, he turned to go inside. ‘I’ll fire up the grill.’
It was only once her brother was back on the porch that Sierra turned in Benji’s arms, and looking up at him, asked, ‘What can I do?’
He shook his head. ‘Love me, feed me, never leave me.’
The old Garfield line was something they’d said Before. Before it had been funny. Now, it was far too serious. But in that moment, she couldn’t deny him. He needed her. ‘I promise.’ Reaching up, Sierra brushed his dishevelled hair out of his face. ‘Thank you.’
He didn’t ask her what for. They both knew. He gripped her chin in one big hand, said, ‘You’re mine, Sierra.Nobodyhurts you and walks away afterwards.’ His hand shifted, his fingers brushing over the small mark that was left from the backhand. ‘Let’s go see to this.’
‘It’s fine,’ Sierra insisted. ‘I iced it.’
