Page 93 of Dirty Dancer

Like my shadow, Liam followed right behind me. “What happened after I left?” I unplugged the machine and removed the water reservoir. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Starling likes fancy coffee.”

“And?” The testiness in that single word gave me pause and I glanced at my brother.

“She will like having this there.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll buy her one. Put it back.”

“We have this one.”

“We do,” he agreed, taking the reservoir out of my hands. “It’s mine. I like it. She’ll need it when she’shere.”

That was a fair point.

“So I’ll buy her one.”

“Today?”

He let out a laugh, though it sounded more like a groan. “Yes, today.” After he plugged the machine in, he added, “Can you look at me for a moment?”

Though he asked rarely, I didn’t mind meeting his gaze. When he did ask, I always complied. “Yes?”

“You really are okay with me and Hellspawn?”

“She’s ours.” I shrugged. “She always has been. There is nothing to be alright with. You care. I care. She cares.”

It was the simplest answer.

“The other guys?”

“They are our brothers.”

Liam dropped his chin.

“They are,” I repeated. “We kept the truth from them. They know now. They will forgive.”

I’d never liked the lie, but I’d understood. Liam never asked me to lie to them directly, only to not explain and to keep quiet. I hadn’t cared for that either.

“You have a lot of faith in them,” he murmured.

“So do you,” I reminded him. “You protected even when they thought you weren’t. You chose this path.”

“Ouch,” Liam grunted and then backed up a couple of steps. He glanced out the kitchen door and I knew he was listening for her. I was too. “It seemed the right thing to do at the time. Still does.”

“Then trust them. They know. They care about her too. She’s ours. All of ours. We will keep her safe.” Then I spread my hands. “We will keep you safe too.”

“Focus on her, brother mine, focus on her. I can watch my own back.”

The door to my room opened so I brushed past him, but paused only long enough to smack the back of his head. It was a maneuver he did often when someone said something stupid.

I didn’t comment. Didn’t have to.

His laughter was confirmation enough.

“Ready?” she asked.

Yes. We were ready.

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