I sat and listened as Daisy settled in across from me.
“This is such a gorgeous house,” she said. “And this patio!”
“It’s nice right?”
Daisy was a big design nerd and I had no doubt that she was having a field day with the Hawks’ beautiful home. It was different from Daisy’s house in pretty much every way — Craftsman instead of Victorian, simple and earthy instead of filled with fancy antiques and art — but they both had good bones and equally good vibes.
And she was right: the patio was to die for, an oasis overflowing with potted plants and bordered by old trees, the hot tub at its center.
I could only see it in my mind’s eye, but I could feel the patio, warm under my bare feet, could hear the birds singing in the surrounding trees, hear the fountain in the bird bath.
“More than nice, and…” I heard her shift in her seat, then realized she was making sure Jagger was out of earshot, “… now I know why you chose to come back here instead of going home from the hospital with Bram.”
My cheeks heated. “You’re one to talk.”
Daisy’s guys weren’t exactly wallflowers.
“Oh, I know!” She laughed. “Jace, Wolf, and Otis have my engine purring 24/7, but I’m not blind.” She seemed to freeze and an awkward silence descended over our conversation as she realized what she’d said. “Oh my god, Cass… I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I said. “You’re right. You’renotblind. I am, and I have to learn to accept that.”
I felt her hand on my arm. “I hate that this happened to you.”
“Thanks.” I inhaled a deep breath, blinking back tears. “It sucks pretty hard.”
“Here you go,” Jagger said, returning to the patio. “I brought you some cookies from that bakery in Blackwell Hollow too. They have the best cookies.”
“I know the place,” Daisy said. “The Golden Crumb right?”
“That’s the one. It’s a bit of a drive but?— ”
“Worth it,” Daisy said.
“Totally.” Jagger put his hands on my shoulders and a bolt of lust shot through my body at the contact.
I’d been more than a little horny since Vigo had fucked me after our shower, but I still felt too vulnerable to ask Hawk or Jagger to take me to bed. What if they rejected me? Or worse, what if they agreed because they felt sorry for me?
Jagger kissed my head. “Let me know if you need anything. And don’t forget Vigo might be walking the property with Rafe.”
They did this a lot now: announced things that were happening so I wouldn’t be startled by movement or sound.
“How are you, Cass?” Daisy asked when Jagger had gone. “Like… really?”
“I’m… okay.”
“Really?”
I took a deep breath. “Really. I’m learning to live with it, and the Hawks have been great.”
“I’m honestly surprised Bram even let you stay here.”
“I’m trying to teach Bram that he can’t ‘let’ me do anything anymore,” I said.
Cassie barked out a laugh. “Good luck with that. I’m shocked the Hawks are still breathing.”
I smiled. “I’m pretty sure I’m the only thing standing between them and a death sentence.”
Cassie took a drink of her iced tea, then seemed to hesitate. “Do you need help with the iced tea?”
