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“Already doing it,” he said, releasing my hand and dropping it to rest on her hip. “You’re smiling, you’re safe, and you’re where I can reach you.”
Couldn’t really argue with the logic.
“I wish I could do more,” she admitted.
“We all do,” I said, even as the door opened to let Kellan, Jasper, and Freddie in.
I lifted my chin even as my phone buzzed. Before I could even pull out my phone, Kel said, “That’s from me. Calling a meeting. Doc is checking on your mom right now, Sparrow. Milo is waiting for him, and they’ll be down here.”
She twisted in Liam’s lap, her expression tightening even as she tensed. “Is Mom okay?”
“She’s fine,” Jasper said, his tone soothing. “Doc’s doing what Doc does. You know he likes all his tests.”
Unfortunately, the gentle words didn’t settle her. If anything, they seemed to make her more anxious. Liam frowned as she climbed out of his lap.
“Maybe I should…”
“Boo-Boo,” Freddie said, holding out his hand. I wasn’t the only one who released a breath when she took it and let him tug her to him. “Your mother is fine. Doc will tell you if anything is wrong. So will Milo…”
“I haven’t seen her since…”
He shrugged. “She’s your mother, and she’ll deal with it.” Freddie’s lack of fucks where Moira Sharpe was concerned was not an uncommon feeling. Milo had briefed us. I still didn’t buy she knew nothing. Maybe she didn’t want to know, and maybe she convinced herself.
Dove believed her though, and for that—
“Sparrow,” Kellan said in a firm tone that demanded her attention. “You can see her after the meeting. Right now, I need your head here and in this discussion.”
Fresh worry flashed over her face, and Freddie actually glared at Kellan. “Dude, there are ways to say we need to talk that don’t involve doom and gloom.”
“Yes,” Kellan said, his tone still stern even if his expression softened. “I also promised Sparrow I wouldn’t cut her out. There are things we need to decide, and that means I need her focused here and not on whatever—”
“Whatever her mother has to say right now,” Jasper finished it almost smoothly, which was weird, and I wasn’t the only one staring at him. He smirked. “What? Just because I’m usually an unreasonable jackass doesn’t mean I don’t know how to be reasonable.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, even as Kellan snorted.
“Who are you, and what have you done with Jasper?” Freddie demanded, his mock scowl adding weight to the question.
Dove laughed. The musical sound cracked some of the tension and pulled a swift, if sad, smile to Liam’s face. Hell, even I was grinning despite myself. Her humor faded, however, when the door opened to let in Doc and Milo.
Her knuckles went white where she held Freddie’s hand and I’d be damned, but he stood right there, bracing with her.
“She’s fine,” Doc said, clearly reading the room as he focused on Dove. “Little Bit…your mother is fine. She’s still tired and undernourished. I’m worried about the depression, yet I’m not as worried about her mental state.”
“That said, we’ve locked the door on her room.” Milo folded his arms, his jaw set in a way that said he was ready for battle.
Son of a bitch, if Dove…
“Good,” she said, and the single word jerked all of our attention. The severe melancholy and sobbing had come because of something the woman said, but I didn’t think it had alienated Dove. “I don’t want her to do anything foolish, and we need to focus on—dealing with Uncle Fuckbucket.”
The name was funny, even though none of us laughed.
“Where is Rome?” Dove asked, and as if she’d summoned him, he opened the door. Paint spatter covered his hands and there was a bruise on his face. “What happened?”
Liam was up and across the room before Dove even got there. He eyed his brother even as Rome ignored him and turned to Dove.
“Rope slipped.” He showed her his hand and I wasn’t the only one who frowned. “Hit the wall.”
She touched the side of his face, but Liam narrowed his eyes. “You aren’t supposed to be running around by yourself.”
