I’ve been in hundreds of fights, but I’ve never once raised a hand against Damien.
In slow motion, it seems, I hear Lia’s gasp, Aurora’s confused babble, and the surprised curse Everest lets out under his breath. Damien slowly stands up, blood trickling from his nose to his chin.
What the fuck did I just do?
I bite down on the urge to run over to him and apologize. Hedeservedit. And yet it feels horribly strange to stand back and watch the guy I’ve worshiped and loved all my life wipe away the blood from the injury I’ve caused.
At the same time, I realize I’d do a lot more than punch Damien for Lia.
Still, the relief I feel when his lips twist up into a smile is immeasurable.
“Nice punch, man,” he comments.
“Damien…” I start, my voice thick as it pushes through my constricted throat.
“Don’t mention it.” He slides back into the booth. “I deserved it.”
“I, well… yeah, you did.”
His smile deepens as he drains the last of his coffee. “My apologies, Lia,” he says smoothly. “You never need to fear another trash can again.”
She scowls but doesn’t say a word, instead stuffing a piece of pancake into her mouth. I wonder if she realizes just how much it took for me to defend her like that.
Damien turns back to me. “Anyway. The plane leaves in less than an hour now, so we’d better hit the road. You two lovebirds, get in the back seat with Aurora. I’ll drive.”
Before I can get my wallet, he tosses a few folded bills on the table, then stands up and stalks out. Lia turns to pick up Aurora, but I get to her first, and the toddler chirps contentedly as I fold her to my chest. Then I slip my arm around Lia’s waist to lead her outside, leaving Everest to pick up the toys and follow us out.
“Iknowwhere the exit is.” Lia grumbles a version of her usual refrain, but doesn’t look half as annoyed as her voice might indicate. She even lets me buckle her seatbelt without complaining, after I’ve settled Aurora in her car seat.
“I was wrong before,” chuckles Damien as he turns the key in the ignition. “You don’t have a kid. You havetwo.”
“It’s called chivalry,” I mutter.
“Chivalry would be letting me sit by the window instead of in the middle,” huffs Lia. “The seatbelt buckle is digging into my butt.”
“Behave,” I whisper in her ear, “or I’ll dig something else into your butt.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” she snaps, but her mouth twitches into the shadow of a smile.
“Allow me to interrupt your little lovers’ squabble,” drawls Damien as he merges onto the highway. “I do have a few morethings to say.”
“You always do.” I’m still struggling to believe anything that comes out of Damien’s mouth, and yet, I’m feeling much happier than I have since I can remember. Holding Lia’s hand in mine, listening to her voice, which is just sharp enough—not the kind of sharpness that hurts, but not so soft that I’m worriedshe’shurt—all of it tells me she’s mine, really mine, and it feels like heaven.
The kind of heaven that can’t possibly last.
But I’m set on enjoying this little slice of happiness for as long as I can.
“Things like,” continues Damien, “make sure to turn off the lights when you don’t use them. Watch out for those electric plugs. It’s a gas oven, so try not to burn down the house or die of carbon monoxide poisoning, okay? Now, I know Everest has found his new calling as a babysitter—”
“I’mnota babysitter,” cuts in Everest furiously. “Not that I don’t love Aurora,” he adds, “but I’m a gangster at heart, Damien. I amnotstaying away from the action.”
I snort loudly, and even Lia lets out a little giggle. But Damien merely nods, as if Everest describing himself as a gangster isn’t laughable.
“Right. That’s what I figured, Everest. And the truth is, the family doesn’t stand a chance without you. Which is why, Logan, your live-in babysitter isn’t going along with you to Wyoming. But I figured you’d be too busy fucking like rabbits—”
“Damien!” gasps Lia, quickly covering Aurora’s ears.
“I’m also pretty sure neither of you knows your way around a vacuum cleaner,” he says, completely unbothered by Lia’s dagger-like expression. “So I got you guys a helper. Her name is Dolores, and she comes highly recommended. Anyway, what was I saying already? There’s a river nearby and paddleboards, but make sure to use life jackets. Lia, I have a feeling you’regoing to have to teach the idiot to swim. Keep those screen windows down, because the mosquitoes out there are no joke. Also, sit tight, so that when Moretti calls for you—”
