“And Torie was raised by normal parents,” Jax added. “Chase and Wyatt are so damn solid that I couldn’t see Torie being any other way.”

  I nodded absently as I finished off my dessert.

  Torie was so different from every other woman I’d ever met or dated.

  She was brilliant.

  She was funny.

  And her world was so much larger than most of the women I’d gone out with previously.

  I took a glance at my watch as I pictured Torie’s gorgeous, smiling face.

  I hoped the women were planning on getting together early.

  I loved my sister and Harlow and Taylor.

  However, I did have what I considered an important dinner date with Torie later, and I selfishly wanted to make sure it was still going to happen as planned.

  Torie

  “Cooper has always been different,” Riley told me after she took a long sip of her cocktail. “Not different in a bad way. For instance, when we were young, if Hudson or Jax noticed that I was sad, they wanted instant gratification. They’d tickle me or tease me until I smiled. Cooper was more likely to take me out for ice cream and try to get me to talk about why I was sad. Do you understand what I mean?”

  I nodded and took a sip of my own drink. “I could see that.”

  “Me, too,” Harlow chimed in from her seat across from me and Riley. “That sounds like Jax.”

  “That’s Hudson, too,” Taylor said from her seat next to Harlow. “When he wants a problem solved, he wants it to happen immediately.”

  “Cooper is just the kind of guy who looks at things from every angle,” Riley explained. “He’s cautious and careful because he doesn’t want to be wrong.”

  I turned my head and smiled at her.

  I really liked Cooper’s sister and Hudson’s fiancée, Taylor.

  I already knew Harlow from our interaction at Last Hope, and I’d liked her from our first meeting.

  Turned out that Taylor and Riley were just as sweet as Harlow.

  Did I know that Riley was checking me out because I was dating her brother?

  Yeah, I knew. I had two older brothers myself, so I’d caught on immediately. But she’d been so kind that I really didn’t mind.

  In some ways, I totally understood her.

  If one of my brothers was dating someone new, I’d probably try to find a way to meet her, too.

  I wished my brothers would be as lucky in love as the two eldest Montgomery brothers had been, but I didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

  Wyatt was getting closer and closer to forty with zero desire to marry as far as I knew.

  And Chase? He never seemed to take any relationship seriously.

  One thing I didn’t agree with Riley on was her statement about Cooper being different.

  Cooper Montgomery was unique, and his intelligence seemed to make him exude a hot, broody, mysterious persona that spoke to every female hormone in my body.

  Maybe he was a little complicated, but that just made him all the more fascinating.

  I shot a quick glance at my watch and realized that we’d been in this bar for almost two hours.

  I’d been with Riley, Harlow and Taylor long enough for me to spill my guts about my kidnapping and my subsequent return to San Diego after it happened.

  I had to be careful what I said because Riley didn’t know a thing about Last Hope.

  Yeah, I understood that it was a secret organization, but since Hudson and Jax had been involved almost from the beginning, I was a little surprised that they’d never told their sister.

  “I’ll probably have to go soon,” I said with no small amount of regret. “I’m supposed to meet Cooper at his place. He’s arranged almost every meal for us since I hurt my ankle. I told him I was cooking for him tonight.”

  I’d had such a good time with these women that I was going to hate to leave our cozy booth that all of us had commandeered in a quiet back corner of the bar.

  Riley made a face. “I’m glad you’re cooking because Cooper is a horrible cook.”

  “Your mother never taught him to cook?” I asked curiously.

  My brothers might not always have the time to cook and do laundry themselves, but they were perfectly capable of those tasks. My mother had been insistent that none of her children would become quite that privileged and helpless.

  The entire table went silent.

  Finally, Riley spoke, “Our family was really dysfunctional, Torie. Maybe Cooper hasn’t told you much about it, but not a single one of us speaks to my mother. Our father died years ago.”

  I listened, horrified as Riley revealed that she’d been molested by her father, but her brothers hadn’t found out until after her parent was already dead.

  “My mother was no better,” Riley explained. “She covered everything up, which is why none of us want to have anything to do with her. Not to mention the fact that neither one of our parents were exactly loving. My father was terrifying and we could never do anything right as far as he and our mother were concerned.”

  I swiped a tear from my cheek as I said, “I’m so sorry, Riley. That must have been horrible. I guess I can’t imagine any parent acting that way. My mom died of cancer when I was a teenager, but I always knew I was loved by her and by my father, who died four years ago.”

  I didn’t know what it was like not to have loving support from my parents and from my older brothers.

  Riley shook her head. “I got over what he did to me a long time ago, and it wasn’t just me he abused. My brothers were constantly criticized by that bastard. He had three amazing, intellectually gifted sons and he treated all of them like dirt. No matter what they did, they were never good enough. It’s no wonder they joined the military to make their own mark on the world.”

  Yeah, no wonder.

  Who wouldn’t want to get away from horrible parents like that?

  It was a testament to their emotional strength and stubbornness that all four of the Montgomery siblings had come out of that situation sane, much less thriving as they were today.

  My heart ached for Cooper, the young version and the man he was now. It couldn’t have been easy growing up with zero love, support, or acceptance from his parents.

  I shared that thought out loud.

  “I think my brothers wanted our parents’ approval when we were younger, but they eventually realized it was never going to happen,” Riley mused.

  “Like it wasn’t already hard enough for the boys when they were sent off to boarding school because they were all intellectually gifted,” Taylor said angrily.

  My eyes widened. “They were?”

  Being sent off to boarding school as a boy was a whole lot worse than just skipping some grades.

  Harlow nodded. “Jax said he never really had a childhood. All three of them had their college degrees by the time they were eighteen.”

  “Cooper told me that when we met,” I replied. “I just don’t know a lot about his earlier life.”

  “I’m sure he would have told you,” Riley answered. “You guys haven’t really known each other for long, and really, I don’t think any of us like to talk about our weird family life unless we have to for some reason. We all eventually found our closure and left all the madness behind us.”

  I opened my mouth to speak, but my words were cut short by my phone beeping on the table.

  A few seconds later, Taylor’s beeped.

  And then Harlow’s.

  Riley laughed. “Should I be offended because I’m the only one not getting a text message? I’m pretty sure it’s my brothers wondering where you all are right now.”

  I looked at my phone and discovered that she was right.

  COOPER: Everything okay?

  ME: Everything is fine.

  I wanted to reach through the phone, wrap my arms around Cooper, and never let him go after hearing about his childhood.

  God, no wonder he was so careful, wary, and occasionally even cynical sometimes.

  COOPER: Just checking to make sure we still have a date. I can pick you up if you’ve had a few drinks.

  I was perfectly sober, but I thought it was pretty sweet of him to offer.

  ME: I’ve only had one, and I’m perfectly able to drive. I’ll probably take off from here shortly. Are you home?

  COOPER: Just leaving the office. Wanted to see if you needed anything before I headed home.

  I sighed. Cooper Montgomery was so damn sweet.

  I wasn’t surprised he’d checked in to see if I needed something. I was starting to realize that doing things like that was just normal behavior for him.

  Over the last week, we’d seen each other every night, and Cooper never failed to worry about whether or not I was okay.

  Whether I was sleeping.

  Whether I was still having nightmares.

  Whether I was…happy.

  He’d been a perfect gentleman. There had been no more uncontrolled, earth-shattering kisses.

  I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or disappointed about that.

  ME: I’m good. I’ll see you soon.

  As I closed my text window, I looked around the table and saw that all three of the other women at the table were now texting on their phones.

  “It was Hudson,” Taylor said as she put down her phone. “Wondering how things were going.”

  “Same here,” Harlow mentioned as she appeared to end her text conversation. “Jax was just getting worried because he thought we couldn’t possibly talk this long at a happy hour. Silly man. He should know by now just how long I can hang out with the girls. He told me to take my time now that he knows we’re all fine.”

  Riley snorted as she put her phone down. “Seth was checking on me, too. I think it’s a conspiracy to separate all of us. I think the guys are getting restless and hungry. I swear they all act like they can’t eat dinner without us.”

  “Hudson cooked,” Taylor said with a laugh. “So I’m not going to complain too loudly. I guess I’d better get moving.”

  I looked at each of the females at the table as we gathered up our things to depart.

  No matter how much they teased, it was apparent that every single one of them was gloriously happy with their significant other.

  I’d never seen so many women who looked so damn eager to get home to someone who was waiting for them.

  I smiled as I rose to my feet, suddenly realizing I was just as thrilled to know that someone amazing was waiting for me, too.

  Cooper

  “That’s probably the best dinner I’ve ever eaten,” I said to Torie as we relaxed with a glass of wine at my kitchen table after dinner.

  She snorted. “It was mac-n-cheese with Swedish meatballs. Nothing fancy.”

  “How did you know that was my favorite?” I asked her curiously.

  She shrugged. “I might have questioned one of your brothers when he was at Last Hope.”

  Fuck! She was sweet. Women didn’t do shit like that for me, so it was disarming when she went out of her way simply to…please me.

  “Thank you,” I said sincerely.

  She swallowed a sip of her wine before she said, “It was nothing, Cooper. Not compared to all of the nice things you’ve done for me. Besides, I like to cook, and you even handled cleanup duty.”

  “I picked up a contribution to our dinner, too,” I informed her.

  I slid the large box I’d brought up from my downstairs fridge a few minutes ago into the center of the table.

  She lifted a brow. “I have to admit that I’ve been curious since you brought that up.”

  I pulled the cake from the box and started lighting the candles.

  “Oh, God,” Torie moaned. “Is that an Oreo cake?”

  “Chase mentioned that he and Wyatt were gone for your birthday in late October, and that it was the first time you hadn’t gotten your Oreo cake. So we’re celebrating your birthday.” I pushed the cake toward her after all of the candles were lit. “Happy Birthday, Torie.”

  She put her hands to her flushed cheeks. “Oh, my God. This is insane. My birthday was a few months ago.”

  I shrugged. “Better to get your Oreo cake a little late than never. Make a wish and blow the candles out.”

  She stared at me as the light from the candles danced in her eyes. “Every year, no matter where I was, my father always made sure I had my Oreo cake for my birthday. After he died, Chase and Wyatt did the same thing. Last year, it just couldn’t happen because my brothers had been away from their Paris offices for so long because of my very long recovery. They had to leave for Europe not long before my birthday. It actually means a lot that you didn’t want me to miss something this sentimental.”

  I shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

  She shook her head. “No, it is a big deal, Cooper. I’ll make my wish, but I guarantee it will be dirty and all about you.”

  I coughed. “I think I’m perfectly okay with that.”

  Even though we didn’t take any action on our attraction, we did talk or joke about it occasionally.

  She smiled, took a deep breath, and blew out every candle before she asked, “How did you know where to get this? It’s the same bakery my father and my brothers always used.”

  “I asked Chase.”

  My friend hadn’t commented on my odd question, but I was fairly certain he’d known what I was up to when I’d asked.

  “I think this thing has five thousand calories a piece,” she said with a huge grin as she got up and grabbed some plates and forks. “But it’s worth it.”

  Torie moaned through her piece of cake as I devoured two.

  When she rose to get some water, I reached for the small, wrapped packaged I’d left on one of the vacant chairs so she wouldn’t see it. “Birthdays shouldn’t happen without a gift,” I insisted as I stood and handed her the box.

  “Cooper, the cake was enough,” she admonished. “I don’t need a gift. It’s not even really my birthday.”

  “Humor me,” I said with a grin. “It was made just for you so it’s not going back.”

  She opened the ribbon and took off the wrapping paper. “You’re insane,” she said, but she was smiling. “What is it?”

  “You’ve almost got it open,” I reminded her.

  When she finally had just the velvet box in her hand, she hesitated for a second before she popped it open.

  “Wyatt shared that you lost your everyday jewelry that you used to wear while you were being held captive,” I explained. “A necklace your father gave you, and a bracelet and earrings that your brothers gifted you for Christmas several years ago. I know your brothers replaced those earrings and your bracelet at Christmas. I know I can’t even begin to replace the necklace your dad gave you, but I thought maybe I could at least give you another everyday necklace to wear.”

  “Oh, my God, Cooper. This is extraordinary. No necklace with this many diamonds is an everyday necklace,” she said as her eyes filled with tears. “What is this?”

  She’d flipped it over and was looking at the engraving on the back of the round pendant.

  She fingered the words. “De Oppresso Liber. It’s Latin. The literal translation is To Free The Oppressed.”

  I nodded as I lifted my shirt and turned around. I had the same words tattooed on my lower back. “It’s the motto of the Army Special Forces,” I explained. “I literally had those words rolling through my head for years.”

  I could almost hear Torie breathing as she asked, “Can I touch it? It’s a beautiful tattoo.”

  “Yeah.” Hell, she could touch any part of me that she wanted. I wasn’t about to tell her she couldn’t, even if the touch of her fingers on my skin made me half insane.

  “Did it hurt?” she asked as she stroked a finger over the design.

  I grinned. “Woman, you’re asking a special forces guy if a single tattoo was painful. Even if it was, do you think I’d admit it?”

  She laughed. “I’m sure you were a tough guy.”

  After we’d sat back down at the table, I told her, “The front of the pendant is made up of diamonds that came solely from Montgomery diamond mines. The base and the chain is platinum so it will be durable to wear every day. I guess I thought the words might resonate with you now that you’re part of Last Hope and helping to free the oppressed. Because you were a hostage, I thought it might be something you’d want to keep close to your heart, too, to remind you that you’re free.”

  “I think I’d love that. For a man who claims he’s uninspired, this is probably one of the most inspired things anyone has ever done for me,” she said, her voice choked with tears. “It almost seems too special to wear every day, but I will.”

  I rose and took the necklace from her hands and hooked it around her neck. “I’m sorry that you lost the one from your father.”

  “I have another one that he gave me,” she explained. “But I keep it safe for special occasions. I don’t want to lose it.”

  “Then wear this one every day,” I insisted.

  She bolted out of her chair the moment the necklace was secure and threw herself into my arms. “Thank you, Cooper. It’s one of the most incredible gifts I’ve ever gotten.”

  I wrapped my arms around her waist and closed my eyes.

  I loved the way she smelled.

  I loved the way she felt.

  I love the genuine sweetness in her voice.

  I stroked a hand over her silky hair as she hugged me so tightly I could hardly breathe.

  Not that I was complaining.

  Breathing was highly overrated.

  She leaned back and her eyes softened even more as she looked at me. “Riley told me a little about your family history while we were at happy hour. She mentioned what your father did to her, and how poorly your parents treated all of you. I’m so sorry you grew up that way, Cooper. No child should have parents like that. They were monsters.”

  “It’s not like I knew that it should be any different at the time, but things should have been a hell of a lot better for Riley. If my brothers and I had known what my father had done to her before he’d died, we would have killed the bastard ourselves,” I said huskily.