Page 53 of Sudden Summer

I pressed my lips against the top of her head. “Feeling better?”

“Yes. Thank you,” she whispered, letting her head rest back on my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“You don’t have to thank me…”

“I do. You knew something was wrong, and you came for me. You scooped me up in your arms and you never let me go. You reminded me that no matter what, I’ll be okay. Because I’m safe when I’m with you.”

My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton as I nodded, unable to get any words past the sore lump in my throat.

Someone went into her home. Some pathetic excuse for a man put his hands on my girl. And I didn’t even fucking know. I wasn’t there to keep her safe. I wasn’t there to protect her.

I needed to figure out which ranch hand was about to get a promotion. Because I couldn’t—I fucking wouldn’t—leave her now.

Birdie twitched, her face not pulled in pain per se, but the space between her eyebrows tightened. My hand moved as quietly as it could, not wanting to wake her, so my thumb could ease the tension in that spot.

Was it just a random home invasion? Someone who stumbled on a woman coming home to a dark house, and just barged in? My stomach rolled. The image of that fucking hole in the wall was seared into every last neuron in my brain. Her beautiful head, the one laying against me now, had been shoved so hard by some fucking criminal that it left a goddamn hole in the wall. He’d left bruises on her neck. The same one I stared at in the summertime when she and I would spend hours at the springs. The spot near her collarbone, slightly hollow, would catch the water dripping off her hair and God, all those times I just wanted to press my lips against it.

This was all my fault. We’d become more to each other, which was everything I wanted. But I wasn’t doing my part in the relationship. I wasn’t there to protect her.

The chat I had with my siblings lit up the screen of my phone.

Jessie: Beau!! How is Birdie!? Do you need me to bring anything over?

She’s sleeping. I’m fighting with her about taking the pain medicine they sent us home with. She needs it. I don’t want her to be in pain.

Violet: Try to stay on top of it. I was stubborn when it came to the meds after my c-section, but recovery really is easier when you stay on top of the pain.

Colt: It’s a good thing Beau is just about as stubborn as I am.

Violet: Yeah, if all else fails, I guess growl at her? It works for Colt every time.

Good to know. I’ll tell her you both are on my side. Jess, how’s Juniper?

Jessie: She’s just the best. Giving me baby fever like Connor does. She’s honestly been a dream today, and I’m happy to keep her overnight to help out. You just get Birdie on the mend.

Hayes: Colt, did you find anything out?

Colt: Not anything I can share.

Let me know when they’re done with everything there. I don’t want her worrying about anything, so I’ll need help getting over there to pack her things up.

Hayes: Birdie’s as tough as they come. She’ll be okay.

Lachlan: Pack her things up?

She’s not going back to that fucking house. Ever. Her home is here on the ranch, and I should have made sure that was clear to her years ago.

And I know she’s tough, Hayes, but she shouldn’t have to be.

Jessie: Does she know about this? Or are you being a macho dick and telling her how things are going to be?

Can your husband hop on this chat?

Jessie: Excuse me? I’m the only one here protecting Birdie’s autonomy.

She’ll be just fine. I’m making sure of that. Hawk, do you think Gunner or Gage would be up to help us move some of her stuff out here?

Hawk: Yeah, I can coordinate some support. We’ll get it figured out.