Page 178 of Brighter Together

I don’t need him to tell me what to do.

I just need him beside me while I do it.

“Thank you,” I say, biting back tears.

His brows pull together. “For what?”

I glance towards the door.

“For putting yourself in front of me.”

Tommy’s jaw tightens. “I saw the knife.”

“So did I.”

A sob slips out.

This time he pulls me against him.

I wrap both arms around his waist.

“What if Ryan hadn’t stopped him?”

“He did.”

“But you didn’t know he would.”

Tommy kisses the top of my head.

“No.”

“You still turned your back on Lee.”

His arms tighten around me.

“I wasn’t going to let him get to you.”

I press my face against his chest.

“I love you,” I sob.

“I love you too.”

We stay like that until my breathing settles.

Eventually I pull back.

“Ryan seems to fit into the team.”

“Looks like it.”

“Does this count as a successful interview?”

“Anyone daft enough to have my back like that is qualified to join our gloriously chaotic family.”

That makes me laugh.

It hurts my cheek.