“You will.”
She stared at me like she wanted to slap me and kiss me and maybe scream into the nearest grill.
Perfect.
Alive.
Still scared, yes, but less swallowed by it.
I stepped closer, slid my hand around the back of her neck, careful of the hair hiding whatever she didn’t want me to see, and pulled her into me. Not a gentle hug. Not a soft little comfort moment for the audience. I tucked her against my chest like she was mine to shield and let my mouth brush her temple.
She resisted for one second on principle. Then she sank into me. Right there in front of everyone. And, fuck, that felt better than winning the fight.
“You’re safe, Pip. Just breathe,” I muttered against her hair.
“I am breathing.”
“No, you’re deciding on fight or flight.”
“That’s basically cardio.”
A laugh scraped out of me before I could stop it. I tipped her face up, letting my thumb skim her jaw. “You’re untouchable with me, Pip.”
Her eyes held mine, wide and overwhelmed.
I could see the denial trying to climb back up. Could see her preparing to shove this into some box labeled adrenaline or benefits or Cade being Cade because admitting what it really meant would cost her more than she was ready to pay.
So I kissed her again. Shorter this time. Hard enough to make the point. Soft enough to tell her I knew exactly who was watching.
When I pulled back, her breath was gone, and the yard behind us had gone suspiciously quiet again.
Knox’s voice floated over. “I swear, if you two make me emotionally process something before dinner, I’m leaving.”
Pip pressed her forehead to my chest and groaned. “I hate this family.”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Bug.”
She stiffened.
I felt it immediately and kept my hand at her waist.
Daniel’s voice was careful now. Too careful for a man who usually threw love around like a football. “You okay?”
Pip lifted her head, and I watched the lie form.
I leaned close enough that only she heard me. “Don’t lie to him. Let him see you.”
Her breath caught as her eyes cut to mine.
I didn’t blink.
She swallowed, then looked at her dad. “I’m… not hurt.”
Not the whole truth, but not a lie either.
Daniel’s expression tightened like that answer gave him less comfort than a clean yes would have. Good. It should. Ryker noticed too. So did Knox. One by one, the men who loved her started looking at the shape of the thing instead of the noise around it.
Pip’s hand found mine at her waist. Like if the whole yard wanted to look, they could. I wasn’t scared of Luke. I wasn’t scared of her brothers. I wasn’t scared of the truth she was still trying to hide.
