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Chapter Forty-Two
Hudson
The combination of cold and sweaty was probably his least favorite. Shoveling was a terrible chore and he was glad they had so little to take care of at home and that Ryker almost always dealt with it.
Not only that, but he was pretty sure he’d heard the sounds of Cosy getting fucked inside and he was going to have to have a talk with Ryker about what resting and taking it easy on her meant.
Except that when he was finally stomping the snow off his boots on the big waterproof rug just inside the door, he looked up to see Ryker sitting on the couch with a bundle of swaddled girl right next to him, her head in his lap, a paci tucked in her mouth, asleep.
“Before you ask,” Ryker drawled, stroking Cosy’s hair, “Yes, she took her bottle. Yes, I changed her diaper. I even gave her a bath. I wrapped her up with hot water bottles at her feet, at her tummy, and her chest. She just fell asleep a minute ago.”
“Did you hurt her?”
There was the slightest quirk of one of his friend’s black brows. “Only as much as I needed to.”
It wasn’t that he was angry at Ryker precisely but he opened his mouth to chastise him nonetheless. And was promptly cut off.
“I did everything you and Ian asked. She’s safe and warm and resting. I know you two are going to treat her like a delicate fucking flower for a while and that’s fine. She should be spoiled and coddled. She deserves it after—”
A shudder ran through the man and his face went dark. God help Damon Paradiso if Ryker Donahue ever got his hands on him. He’d be better off dead.
Ryker shook his head, hair grazing his collar. “But she also needs someone who’s not going to act like she’s made of spun sugar. I promise to be careful and you know I would never harm her but she’s not whole without being hurt. If you and Ian can’t stomach that right now, that’s fine. That’s what I’m here for.”
Hudson leveled him with not exactly a glare but yeah, his top face which would probably bounce off Ryker like he was rubber. But he fixed it on his prodigal partner nonetheless because he meant business. “And are you? Here for it? Here for her? Here for all of us?”
It was one thing to swoop in during a rescue mission, turn up when there was a showy emergency that needed to be handled, be the fucking hero. It was a different thing entirely to show up every day. To care for people every day.
Not that Ryker was the type to seek out glamour and the spotlight but Hudson knew that steady, workaday love and devotion was probably the thing his friend was most terrified of in the whole world.
The intense man could push someone further than they thought possible and keep them safe while doing so, and he could be a silent specter of protection. But could he be there for Cosy every day? Would he be there for all of them every day and not run again when shit got hard and uncomfortable?
Ian would’ve rolled his eyes in exasperation or exploded in a fit of how dare you, but that wasn’t Ryker’s style. No, he fixed Hudson with a piercing stare of his own.
“I’m here for all of you, until the end of time.”
Coming from anyone else, that assertion might’ve made him laugh. Coming from Ryker who god knew might be the fucking highlander or a vampire or some other paranormal creature, it only sounded like the most sincere promise. So earnest it made Hudson’s chest get tight.
He put a hand over his heart and cleared his throat. “Thank you. And you know we’re all here for you too, right?”
“I’ve always known that. You and Ian aren’t subtle.”
Hudson had to snort at that. Nah, it was hard to be subtle when you were almost seven feet tall or when you were essentially a frigging leprechaun.
“Cool,” he choked out.
They stared at each other for a long moment and then Cosy made the most adorable snuffle. Right. They could finally get out of here, get her home, get her well and healthy, and begin this life together. The four of them, the way it should be. First he ought to take a shower, but not without a final word.
“We love you, man. All three of us.”
The corner of Ryker’s mouth twitched. “I know.”
