Page 70 of Cold Foot Komodo

Shit. She’d gotten here early, and must’ve parked in the front lot. Reed looked over his shoulder to see Sasha standing there, eyes glowing the bright blue of her bear, her hair in loose waves down her shoulders. She wore a white thermal shirt that would match the color of her fur if she didn’t hold it together and accidentally Changed right now. Behind her, Timber stood, face frozen in shock.

“What’s going on?” Timber asked.

Dan unfroze first, and said, “We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re here to meet Reed.”

“You aren’t using him to keep me in line,” Sasha gritted out.

Reed could hear Dan swallow audibly. “It’s not like that. He’s…he’s…” Dan paused, and tried again. “Talk to Reed. He set some fair ground rules.”

“You said we,” Timber said, coming to stand beside her sister. Their eyes were both blazing blue. “Is Mom here?”

Dan twitched his head toward the car. “Throwing a tantrum. Probably on her phone demonizing your men in the family loop right now.”

Timber snorted. “Shocker.”

“I…” He looked from his daughters, to Wreck, to Reed, and back. “It’s good to see you, girls. Your eyes…well, you look different. Healthy. Happy. Fierce.” He wiped his hand across his damp cheek, and lifted the folded piece of paper. “I’ll try to get your mom to leave you alone for three months, and go to counseling, and then we’ll sign up for the app. Whatever you say we need to do, well, I’ll do it. Your mom is your mom, and she will comply or not, but you both still have me.”

“We never had you,” Timber said. “You always sided with Mom.”

“Not anymore.” Dan smiled. “I did my research. Shifters can hear the truth in a person’s voice.” He dipped his chin lower and leveled them with a look. “Not anymore.”

Timber inhaled a sob and turned away, facing the wall, and Sasha held her hand so tight.

Reed’s heart was in his throat as he saw the hope welling in Sasha’s pretty eyes.

“I should go,” Dan said. “Before your mother figures out you’re here and makes a scene. We’ll talk in three months.”

He turned to leave, but Sasha released Timber’s hand and made her way to him. She hugged him up tight, burying her face against his jacket.

And then Reed witnessed something he never thought he would see. Timber turned and made her way to them, and hugged them both. It was a fast thing. One quick hug, and then she retreated to Wreck and got all wrapped up in his arms. Her shoulders were shaking.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Reed never cried, but his eyes were burning as Dan released Sasha and held her back at arm’s length. “Three months,” he whispered, eyes full.

Sasha nodded, and waved as he backed away. She watched him all the way to the car, her hand on her chest, and when she turned to Reed, her bottom lip was trembling.

“What have you done?”

“What needed to be done,” he answered simply.

Sasha had done so good. She hadn’t Changed, and she was only a couple weeks in to being a shifter. Her control was something he was so proud of. She was fierce, as Dan had said.She was also kind, and mature, and caring, and all the things he had never known he needed in a mate.

“Are you ready?” he asked Timber.

“Wait, now? Wait, I’m crying, give me a second,” Timber said, pulling out of Wreck’s arms.

She fumbled in her pocket, dug out her cell phone, and lifted it up. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“What are you doing?” Sasha asked her sister, confusion tainting her voice. “Why are you recording me?”

She didn’t notice Reed had gone down to his knee, and she hadn’t noticed him pull out the ring box from his jacket pocket.

Wreck was snapping pictures, and Timber was taking video as Sasha swung her gaze to where Reed had been standing and then looked down, stunned. “Oh my gosh!”

“Sasha—”

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