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That grin turned into a laugh.
“And I climbed you while I stunk!”
More laughter. She whacked him on the chest with her hand. “You’re an ass.”
He turned her to the door with a slap on the ass. “Go clean up, baby. I’ll expect you at breakfast in an hour. I’m just going to do some more reps. We need to start some self-defense lessons too.”
Stomping along the hallway, she muttered to herself as she reached the stairs. “Arrogant man, thinking he can make me all stinky. Rude.”
“Lottie?”
She gasped, her hand going to her chest as she scrambled backward.
“It’s me. Vic.”
Oh, hell.
Taking a deep breath in, she let it out slowly. “Sorry. I didn’t see you.”
Victor just studied her.
She smiled at him, trying to push away the last vestiges of panic. Opening her arms, she stepped forward. “You’re home.”
Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed tightly then stepped back. He stared down at her in shock.
Uh-oh.
Way to act normal, Lottie.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d hugged her brother. Any of them. Shit. Was this really what her life had become? Where she didn’t show the people she loved any affection?
“Sorry.” She grimaced. “I’m all sweaty.”
He was dressed in shorts and a tank top.
“You’re off to the gym?” she asked.
“Why’re you sweaty?” he asked.
Victor was the quietest of her brothers, but he was also the most observant. And that quietness hid an intelligence most didn’t see. All of her brothers were hellishly smart. Regent was a master manipulator. A natural leader. Jardin was a killer lawyer. Sharp and ruthless. Maxim was the charmer. He’d sidle up to you, sweet talk you until you didn’t see him deliver the killing blow. Not literally. Then there was Vic. People just saw him as the muscle.
They were wrong.
“I’ve been in the gym.”
“You? Working out? You hate exercising.”
“I know, but . . .” She didn’t want to lie. “My new therapist said that exercise is a good way to clear my mind.”
That was actually the truth. She’d only spoken to Molly once, but they’d gone through a few things she could do to help her deal with the nightmares and the negative thoughts that plagued her. Exercise had come up. Although Molly had suggested starting off with a walk.
She probably hadn’t anticipated Liam trying to kill her. She could barely walk.
“You’ve started seeing a new therapist? How long have I been gone?”
“I just started. She’s someone who lives in Haven. Maddox actually mentioned her to me when he was here a while back. I want . . . I want to try and get better, Vicky. I’m tired of living like this. Of being scared of everything.”
He just nodded.
