Pippa was fine at work. And she was totally fine once she drove into the garage of their apartment building. When she visited Hamish’s house to drop off something or just check in on him, she waited until that garage door closed behind her before she got out. Todd had gone over a basic safety plan with her. The Pippa she’d been a year before would have been so embarrassed, but the person she’d grown into appreciated that he’d helped her assert control. Especially for the whole world beyond those known safe harbors. Her life was wonderful. She was in love and loved in return. She had a close group of found family as well as her sisters. She’d struggled and fought fiercely to have her life, and though it was shrinking because of the chaos, the safety plan process had helped her.

  She wasn’t going to let this steal her happiness. But it was a lot. Had been so before her truck was vandalized.

  “I don’t want to leave you alone. I can see you’re upset.” Xander scratched his chin through his beard.

  She said, “Can I be totally honest with you?”

  “Always.”

  “I need to fall apart a little. I need to cry and be very sad and then very mad. If you’re here, I’ll edit myself. And I really just need to break. You can even come back in a few hours. But I need to be alone for a bit. I’m sorry if this is making you feel bad.”

  The line between his eyes eased as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I get it. How about this? I’ll see my next client and check in when I’m done. I’ve already moved my last appointment of the day. It’s Fox, and he told me last night to cancel it so I could be with you.”

  “He did? I like that dude.”

  “He likes you too.” He gave her another kiss. “I’ll be checking in via text. That way all you have to do is just send a K or whatever to let me know you’re fine. If you don’t, I’ll worry and come home.”

  She knew it was pushing things to get him to leave, so she nodded. She’d want to know the same in his place.

  And when he left, she took her things into the bathroom and allowed herself a cry long and hard enough at the end she had the hiccups and a need for a nap.

  Xander looked up as he came into Written On the Body. Todd Keenan was fiercely proud of his son. He had the heart of a lion and a depth of honor and loyalty that humbled his parents.

  And the way he’d grown and matured as he’d started this triad had only made them all the prouder. It wasn’t the three-people part—they’d never seen it coming that he’d end up in a throuple—it was the way Xander handled himself. He wanted to be the best he could for Pippa and Hamish. He wanted to be a better person, and wasn’t that the key to longevity in anything?

  “Wasn’t expecting to see you today. Everything okay, Pop?”

  Todd hugged him and settled in the corner chair of Xander’s station. “After your call last night, I wasn’t sure you’d be here. Dad was though. Damn it. He loves to be right, and I’ll have to admit he was. You have a few minutes?”

  That morning he and Ben had listened to the detailed message their son had left, and he’d been the one delegated to seek Xander out and figure out what he needed most.

  “I just finished up. Next client isn’t due for twenty minutes or so. I was going to cancel it, but I promised Pippa I’d let her be for a few hours.” Xander’s annoyed expression told Todd what he thought of that.

  “She needed some space to cry a little?”

  Xander exhaled sharply. “How did you know?”

  Every year on the day Adele had been killed, Erin broke in her own way, and though every year it was a difficult task for them both, Todd and Ben had to give her the space to fall apart, standing ready for when they could get close enough to comfort her through.

  Instead of saying any of that, Todd settled on, “Everyone needs some privacy to break a little sometimes. Your Pippa seems so eminently capable all the time. In control. Must have been hard for you to let her be alone. But you love her, and you did what she needed.”

  “She’s trying to keep a brave face. Until last night, I think she was willing herself to forget the vandalism at her old townhouse. Write it off as random. But now she knows different. She’s fanciful in many ways, but none of them mean she’s going to ignore reality.” Xander looked out into the shop a bit and then took a deep breath and swung his gaze to Todd once more. “She’s being stalked.”

  Todd certainly thought that was a very strong possibility. And looking at Xander just then, he knew his son had made an emotional connection to the loss of the sister he’d never met, and the way his life had been shaped was absolutely a response to that.

  “Dad is contacting all the stores around that lot to see if we can get footage. The cop from the scene last night was correct. There’s been a wave of car break-ins and vandalism. Quite often after a game lets out. Steady stream of people who’ve been drinking beer all night, maybe frustrated with the outcome, or even a smart group of criminals using the crowds for cover. One positive though is that when businesses start suffering, things get done. Cameras go up. Security sweeps are done more often. If we can get any footage of the vandalism as it was happening, we have some ability to identify the responsible parties. We can package it up with other footage from the same area. The news will sometimes do a crime-enders segment. That’ll help with the authorities too. Every little bit.”

  Xander told him what one of the cops had said about Pippa. “She doesn’t thirst for attention. She’s a super private, low-key person, and being with Hamish, and me too, has brought a spotlight to her life. I’m used to it. Hamish is used to it. And yet neither of us is the target here. Which makes me think it’s her family.”

  “I’m going back to work now. Cope and Dad are already on this. I’ll add everything you gave me. We’ll figure this out. If you need anything at all, you know where we are. Day or night. This is going to be fine. At this point, it’s just property damage.”

  “Maybe legally. But they damaged the symbols of her independence. She found that truck—she named that truck Gretchen—in a garage in Oregon. I’ve seen pictures of it when it was towed to her old shop. Anyway, it took her three years to do all the restoration work, mostly herself, because some of it she had to learn first. The planters on her porch?” Xander smiled. “Saw the kit at the home improvement store. Declared it too expensive. But she’s good with her hands. Quick to pick things up. After some planning, she bought the raw ingredients and built them herself. Painted them the same color as her front door. Her ceramic pots were ones she’s spent years collecting from various yard sales wherever she goes. They destroyed things that mean something to her far beyond being possessions. This is personal. This is about attacking and destroying the things she uses to enjoy her freedom. How would they know about any of that stuff if they hadn’t been watching closely in the years since she left?”

  Todd blew out a breath. “You have good instincts. It does feel very personal. Meanwhile, you said yourself she’s safe at work and home. You just be her man right now, okay? Let us handle the investigation. I’ll update you soon. I just wanted to come down, well, Dad and I thought it would be good to give you a hug and tell you we love you. I know you’re grown and can take care of yourself. But I’m your pop. We want you to know we’ve got your back.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-THREE

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake!”

  “Who’s Pete?” Hamish asked. They were driving to pick Xander up and then head over to SaltBranch for a Valentine’s Day dinner party event type thing that seemed very modern and cool.

  “A person I can use in a cuss that isn’t holy,” Pippa said as she scrolled through a bunch of pictures of Hamish, Pippa, and Xander from his wrap party. While they were in Whistler for a few days before New Year’s Eve, Todd had told Pippa about the alert he’d created to keep an eye on media about the three of them. Rebecca’s boss had advised her to do something similar, so after a few days of thinking about it, Pippa had gone ahead and set one up, hoping it would give her a feeling of some sort of…dominion when so much was out of her hands.

  The pictures were of the usual type. Either a decent lens from outside a place where they had to enter or leave, or camera phone pictures from whoever had been inside the party or restaurant who needed the extra money they got for tips or pictures.

  She was glad her butt wasn’t hanging out or there hadn’t been a visible booger. Hamish always looked better than she did. Pippa accepted that. He had a sense of style that was very much organic. Xander was handsome and protective, usually looking at her or Hamish. It made her smile even if the photograph itself still felt creepy.

  Pippa had rules about this stuff. She rarely ever clicked because it made her more self-conscious. But sometimes she could see keywords in the thumbnail if there was a headline or article lede that led her to open it up for a cursory glance to make sure it wasn’t too bad.

  A Mother’s Heartbreak. What the heck?

  As she read, Hamish teased, “And why are we using cusses of a non-holy type?”

  If she showed too much annoyance or concern about media attention, he took it as a personal attack, so she tended to choose her words carefully. Plus, this had to do with his biological mother, which was also a sensitive topic.

  And that night was hers, darn it. Pippa had romantic plans with her men and time ahead with their friends and new people. Which always charged Hamish, who was extroverted and loved new people. Xander would be pleased because Miles and Harlow would be there, and he hadn’t seen Miles in a month or so.

  The things Carol had been quoted saying would only upset him. There was time for that later; Pippa wasn’t going to let that woman steal another moment of Hamish’s happiness. “Oh, just the usual. Pictures from your wrap party. We all look good though.”

  “Ah, well then. At least there’s that.”

  Rather than a dress, Pippa chose a black-and-white jumpsuit with a boat neck and flowing legs. It made her feel so pretty, and it was definitely warmer than the dress she’d also considered. Plus, she could wear her tallest heels and not feel so totally short.

  At her side, Xander wore suit trousers and a snowy-white button-down shirt with braces that made him look old-fashioned in contrast to the tattoos. “This whole look is incredibly sexy,” she said in his ear as he pushed the door open for her.

  “I’ll wear it tonight when you and Hamish are wearing nothing at all. That works for me. You?” His lips hitched slightly at the right corner and had her lifting to her toes to kiss that very spot.

  “That always works for me.” When he got extra bossy and dominant, especially when he did it to her and Hamish at the same time, it made her giddy with delight.

  At the restaurant, she got pulled into what felt like a dozen hugs, and people kept handing her things like chocolate and roses.

  “Look at you, love,” Hamish teased as she set all her presents down at her seat.

  “I didn’t realize we were giving things to anyone else. I feel bad.”

  He shook his head. “I think that part was organized by the restaurant. Mostly you don’t give things to others who aren’t your Valentine.”

  “We had our Galentine’s dinner a few days ago with nearly all the women here. There was a gift exchange then.” That had been so much fun. She’d hung out, eaten well, spent time with amazing people who taught her things every day about being a badass.

  The rest she’d figure out as they went. For this to be the first Valentine’s Day she’d had while in a long-term committed relationship was pretty nifty. But also, a high bar for the future, she realized.

  She confessed, “I’ve never been to anything like this. It’s wonderful.”

  “You deserve this every day.” Hamish kissed her softly and then once more. “God, you’re delicious.”

  “That’s what I hear,” she teased back.

  One armed, he pulled her to him again. “Seems to me, I’ve the best Valentine in this whole place.”

  “Who is this kissing up on our girl?” Xander arrived with drinks, and after he handed Pippa hers, he dropped his own kiss on her mouth and tasted Hamish too. Mmmm.

  “Can we keep him?” she asked, amusement and affection in her tone.

  “Definitely.” Xander leaned to kiss Hamish.

  “First course coming out in five,” their host called out. “Please take your seats.”

  Xander had just settled next to Pippa when his phone buzzed with an incoming text from his pop.

  “We’ve been keeping an eye on media about you three, and today a bunch turned up in various packages across the fan sites and a few other celebrity spots. Pictures from Hamish’s wrap party. I’ve attached a link to the relevant one. Call me when you want to talk about it.”

  Xander kept an eye on Pippa and Hamish as he opened the link and read Carol Wilson talking about Pippa Hall being so controlling, she forbade Hamish contact from his mother. Said Pippa had pushed her out of her son’s life and then blamed “the cult she grew up in” for it all.

  He wasn’t going to ruin their night with this garbage. He texted back to let his father know he’d received the info and would contact him the next morning.

  Naturally, it was all he thought of that whole dinner. Worrying about what sort of creeps this might draw from under various rocks.

  “Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?” Rennie asked him quietly from his other side.

  “Not right now,” he said, appreciating that she’d noticed and cared to ask. Even if she had no idea why, she’d back off because he said he wasn’t ready.

  And soon enough, he’d put it from his mind as much as possible to pay more attention to Pippa, who seemed to take in every detail of the evening and place it in a special memory box.

  Many times since she’d come into his life, he’d been able to reframe things from her perspective, and it had made so much difference. It wasn’t that he was used to things like Valentine’s dinners, because he wasn’t. He’d avoided even dating in January because it was beyond uncomfortable to be newly dating someone near a holiday with so much importance placed on it.

  But like with so many other things about Pippa, it felt right to be there with her and Hamish. Not suffocating or held back. Held down, definitely. In the best way.

  Hamish hummed his delight as they closed the apartment door at their backs and were alone at last. Even as social as he was, Hamish liked the time the three of them shared at the end of each day.

  Since he’d wrapped his next album a week before, Hamish had moved in officially. He’d decide what to do with his house in a few months when they’d all gotten used to living with one another day to day. The apartment was gigantic, but they’d have to find a way to put their own stamp on the space or move elsewhere.

  Pippa more than the others needed alone time. So when she wanted, she just tucked herself into her room, and they let her be until she was ready for company again. It pleased Hamish that she’d taken the shelves on one wall and filled them with her things. Books and photographs. Little knickknacks here and there, like a set of ceramic birds, fat and slightly grumpy, tucked around.

  The space was so strongly imprinted with her that sometimes if he was home and missing her and she was out, he’d just take a quick walk through the room, and it was like a hug.

  Hamish, too, had a spot all his own. The pre-existing home studio had all the great bones for upgrading it to what he needed. The contractor and his sound people had already started to move important bits from his house.

  He’d also taken over the adjoining room as a workspace. He was up later or earlier than the others all the time, so being able to work or watch a movie in the media room without worrying over waking anyone was a huge plus.

  Each day it felt less like Xander’s place and more like theirs.

  After he let himself enjoy the last fleeting glimpse of Pippa as she dashed off to remove her makeup and dress clothes, Hamish turned his attention to Xander.

  “Want to tell me why you’ve been upset all night?”

  Xander looked chagrined at first and then he shook his head with a smile. “I don’t know why I thought I could hide it.”

  “You did, mostly. Enough that I figure you’re not mad at me or Pippa. Something external? Share your troubles?”

  Xander took a deep breath. “Your mother gave an interview about you. And blamed Pippa and her quote bible thumping cult for pushing her from your life.”

  Hamish was so taken aback he didn’t have words for a bit. “Mother? You mean Carol? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

  Xander leaned in quick and pressed a kiss to his temple. “Baby. I didn’t bring it up at dinner because I wanted us all to have a nice time. I wasn’t going to lie if I was asked directly, but it wasn’t necessary to ruin the evening. You aren’t in contact with her at this point, are you?”

  Having been settled by the sweetness of that kiss and the affectionate pet name, Hamish said, “I haven’t had more than a three-minute conversation with my biological mother in about five years. She and my mom—Addie—got into what nearly turned into a brawl. Carol came to confront my parents. I got there midway through an argument, and to get me on her side, she offered me drugs.”

  Xander sucked in a breath. “In front of Addie?”

  The slight thread of fear in Xander’s tone made Hamish smile. “Exactly. My mom had been standing behind the counter out in the waiting area, and when she heard Carol…she fucking flew over a four-foot-high barrier like it was nothing. She was up and in Carol’s face before I could say a word. Leif had to physically take our mom out of the room while my dad and I got Carol outside. I had a car service take her to the airport, gave her all the cash I had on me, and then told her she needed to be out of my life because we were bad for one another. I should have said she was the problem, but I just wanted her gone. I’ve sent her money a few times. Through my agency. I shouldn’t. She doesn’t care about me at all.”