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It was Natches who moved first.
Two steps and Natches was pulling Chaya into his arms, burying his face against her neck and holding on tight as Christa moved slowly to Dawg.
“Jed called,” she
told him. “He told us everyone was safe, but you might need us?”
Her hand, so delicate and fragile, settled against his arm.
“What’s wrong, Dawg?”
His throat was so fucking tight. Hell, he hadn’t felt like this since the night he learned Christa had lost their child so long ago. Like tears were burning in his gut and refused to be shed.
“Someone beat her. ” His voice was grating, so rough he barely recognized it as he turned to her and pulled her to his chest. “Christa, someone beat her face and she won’t let me help. ”
He couldn’t understand it.
It was tearing him apart. His guts were being ripped straight out of him and he couldn’t make it stop.
“Who? Who, Dawg?”
“God. Piper,” he snarled, so furious with her, so broken inside he had no idea how to find all the pieces. “Piper, Christa. She just fucking disappears, then comes back, her face swollen and bruised, and she won’t let me help. ”
“Did you offer to help, baby?” she asked gently, her expression understanding, knowing. “Or did you demand?”
He had asked. Hadn’t he?
“You demanded, didn’t you, Dawg?” she guessed. “All ready to charge ahead and exact vengeance. ”
“Someone hurt her. ” It didn’t make sense that she wouldn’t want vengeance.
“Come on, Dawg. Let’s go home. ”
He shook his head fiercely. “You have to make her tell me—”
“Dawg, you can’t make Piper do anything. ” She sighed. “She’s home; you know she’s safe. Give her time to come to you. ”
He shook his head.
“You’re just going to piss her off,” Chaya stated as Natches lifted his head from her shoulder and moved away several paces. “She’s too strong to break down and cry, or let herself be treated like a child. You’ve hassled her for a year; now it’s time to go home. ”
“She won’t stay safe. ” He shook his head; it didn’t make sense to him.
“And here she’s a Mackay. Go figure,” Christa murmured.
“We’ll find him. ” This time it was levelheaded, “think about it first” Rowdy. “We’ll find him, Dawg, and when we do, he won’t be able to hit another woman. ”
Natches, Rowdy, Chaya, and Kelly moved to the truck Dawg had driven to the inn as Dawg moved to the car with his wife. For the first time, Christa noticed, she didn’t have to fight over driving.
Dawg moved to the passenger seat as she slid under the wheel.
“I need to go home. ” He breathed roughly. “I need my girls. ”
Her and his daughter.
She held back the secret she’d learned earlier. The news that their daughter would have a brother or sister. News that she feared would only make Dawg more protective, even as it made him more loving.
The drawback?
