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My body listed to the side. A hand landed on my shoulder, stopping me from toppling over.
"I'm not going anywhere," Rain growled and I sighed. I was tired and didn't want to fight anymore.
"For once in your life," Julian immediately shot back, "don't be an asshole."
I sighed again.
Those were fighting words. Julian was going to die.
The hand on my shoulder shifted, lowering. The pad of a thumb swiped across my collarbone and the raised scars there.
"You little prick," Rain snarled. "The only reason I'm not going to beat the ever lovin' piss out of you is because my girl doesn't need that kind of drama tonight, but don't you worry, our time will come."
"Looking forward to it, old man," Julian immediately replied snottily.
"Idiots," Damien grumbled under his breath. I made a noise of agreement in the back of my throat that came out sounding like a tiny grunt.
A rough hand brushed the wet hair back from my face. Lips pressed against my temple. "I'll be back in the morning to check on you, baby girl," Rain murmured quietly. "I'd take you with me and watch over you, but Tyson mentioned you should probably sleep under your catcher. And Isobel and Baxter are at the cabin, alone and unprotected. I need to get back to them and make sure they're safe. I tried to send Trenton and Simon so that I could stay here with you, but of course they refused to leave you for anything. Good boys, those two. I'm only leaving you because you're safe here. You gotta know, there's no way, no fuckin' way, I'd ever leave you otherwise."
God, Rain. He always hurt my heart. I felt a tear slip out and trail down my cheek.
I forced my eyes open and stared up at him. My eyes locked onto his, and this time I didn't flinch or try to look away.
"Love you, Dad," I slurred drunkenly. "Go home and keep the rest of our family safe." At least that was what I tried to say. Who the hell knew what actually came out.
I knew he got the first when his face softened and he ran the backs of his knuckles along my jaw.
"Love you too, baby. More than anything."
What he meant was more than Baxter and Isobel. I hated that he said it, but I liked it at the same time. Call me a bad person, I don't care. Rain put me first above all else, and I liked it because he was the only parent I knew to have ever done so. Did my real mother even count when I could not remember her? I thought not.
Didn't matter.
Rain put me first above all others, and it worked for us because I put all others above myself, which is why I actually wanted him to go home to look after Isobel and Baxter instead of staying here with me. I had plenty of good people looking out for me. All they had was Rain.
"Tomorrow," I mumbled, as I lost the fight and my eyes slammed closed once again.
"Yeah, baby, tomorrow."
His hand disappeared and I felt him move away from me. I heard his boots as he stomped across the floor toward the door. The door didn't slam shut behind him, instead it shut quietly with a soft click. If I hadn't been here and it had just been the boys, no doubt Rain would have slammed that door after he'd beaten them both into a bloody pulp, of course.
My lips tipped up slightly at the ends in amusement. Rain was really warming up to my boyfriends around here, that was for sure.
"Lift your arms for me, precious," Damien whispered.
I did as I was told and lifted my arms. Though it was a struggle at first to get them to move and I didn't actually get them that high, they certainly didn't rise above my head.
Whatever I managed to pull off worked for Damien. My towel was untucked from above my breasts and pulled away. Any other time and I would have been embarrassed about my naked breasts being exposed. At the moment, I was too exhausted to care. Damien had seen tits before, even mine if I remembered correctly. Always due to unfortunate circumstances.
Something was pulled over my head and my arms were shifted this way and that. Soft fabric slid down my body, covering my breasts and stomach, stopping just above my naked hips. A tank top, I could tell.
The towel was yanked away and I heard it land on the floor several feet away. My feet were lifted one by one, and I felt fabric being slid up my legs, stopping at my thighs. Panties. More fabric followed behind it. Sleep shorts, I suspected. A strong arm wrapped around my middle and I was lifted off the mattress. The panties and the shorts were slid up. They covered my ass and were straightened out. The arm around my middle lowered me back to the bed.
"Do you need me to do anything with your hair?" Damien asked sweetly.
Lord, I didn't not want to play doll for Damien right now.
I shook my head jerkily and he gave me a squeeze before letting me go.
