And I locked eyes with the last person I’d expected to see.
Blake Hawthorne, the picture of casual confidence in dark denim and a letterman’s jacket, leaned against the busted doorjamb. Even from here, I noticed everything about him—his body vibrating with restraint, his jaw clenched hard enough togrind his teeth, and the lazy once over he gave Finn as he feigned nonchalance.
Right before, his lip curled with murderous disdain.
Behind him, my brother loomed with a thunderous expression on his face. Usually placid, Finn took one look at him, charging toward us, and his confidence faltered. He swallowed deeply and retreated wisely, pinning his back against the wall as he stared between me and my cavalry.
And he didn’t say another word.
As Adam walked up behind Blake, he searched me over for signs of harm, and I shook my head to let him know I was okay. He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded.
I stepped closer, freezing when Finn whipped his head in my direction.
Blake cleared his throat, drawing my gaze back to him.
“Do I need to kill him?”
Despite his cool tone, tempered rage simmered beneath his expression and his words. Even after months of silence, he stood ready and willing to bury my piece of shit ex-boyfriend if I gave him permission to do it.
But I shook my head. “He’s not worth the blood on your hands.”
Blake’s eyebrow jumped, like he disagreed, but he simply nodded. Then, without moving from the doorway, he held out his hand for me. Adam pinned his gaze on Finn, daring him to stop me. I stared between them, unsure what to do.
Until Blake anchored his gaze to mine.
“Addie, take my hand.” His voice firm and steady. “We’re going home.”
I searched for a trace of doubt in his eyes, but one look at his face assured me that if Finn stood in my way, the consequences would be far worse than a broken door.
So, I took a step, trusting him—trusting them both—that I’d cross the room unharmed.
Without breaking Blake’s stare, I slid past Finn and slipped my hand into his open palm.
He laced our fingers together, tugging me toward him and curling me into his side.
As he scanned my face, his eyes fell on the item I’d grabbed before I left the room, resting safely where it belonged. His jaw tightened, but I couldn’t read his expression before he pulled me behind him and farther away from Finn.
He let me go into Adam’s waiting arms, and the second our hands separated, the air shifted behind me. Adam hugged me tightly as the satisfying crunch of fist against bone filled me with relief, and I spun to witness it, as Finn fell to the floor.
Adam pulled me away, towing me toward the car as Blake crouched over Finn’s body.
Voice low, he teemed with rage. “How’s that for teaching her a lesson, sonnet boy?” he spat. “Come near again, and now she knowsexactlywhat will happen to you.”
Driving home his point, Blake drew back his arm and hit Finn again.
Crimson sprayed across the wall. It seeped through Finn’s fingers as he clutched his face before spilling onto the floor. Blake grabbed his collar, twisting it in his fist to lift Finn’s upper body off the ground. He whispered something and then rose to full height.
Like it always had, my breath caught.
I stored that image of Blake in my mind, committing it to memory as he turned, slammed the front door behind him, and came after us. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as he approached.
After months of distance, I held onto the only thought that mattered. “You came.”
It felt inadequate, but Adam hugged me tighter, reassuring me, even though my words hadn’t been meant for him. Blake knew that, too.
“Of course, I did, Addie. That’s what we do.” Steely blue eyes met mine over the back of his truck, his gaze unflinching in the moonlight. “We show up for each other.”
“Yeah,” I rasped, as emotion lodged in my throat.
