The woman nods, glancing at her iPad. “She’s awake and stable.”

  My arms drop, and the breath I’ve been holding rushes from my lungs.

  “Oh, thank God!” Hana whispers, and Scar grips my shoulder again.

  “Can we see her?” he asks.

  “The doctor said short visits, one or two at a time.” She scans her eyes over us and smiles warmly. “Since there’s only three of you, I think it will be okay.”

  Rainey’s face is pale, and a series of monitors and tubes are connected to her when we enter. The noise of beeping machines surrounds us, and her head is turned to the side, her eyes closed.

  “Rainey?” Hana says softly. “Are you asleep?”

  Her dark hair is smoothed over her shoulders, and when her blue eyes blink open, she smiles weakly at us. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

  I cover the space between the door and her bed, bending so I can hold her hand and be near her. “How are you feeling?”

  Her slim brows lift, and she raises her hand to touch my face. “You were worried about me?”

  So much wonder is in her tone, and I want to gather her in my arms and hold her until she never has to ask that type of question again.

  “We were so worried about you.” Hana slides her hand over Rainey’s hair. “You’re my badass Lara Croft bestie.”

  A weak smile curls her lips, and she shakes her head. “We’re more like Natasha and Yelena.”

  Scar exhales a soft laugh, and Hana looks up at him confused. “Black Widow.”

  That makes his wife smile. “I can live with that.”

  “Come on.” Scar takes Hana’s arm. “We’re going back to your room, and you’re going to rest.”

  Hana glances from me to Rainey before surrendering, pointing at both of us as she leaves. “To be continued.”

  Rainey blinks after them, pulling her bottom lip under her teeth before turning to me. “She’s not an easy one to keep safe.”

  “Are you kidding? No one’s been able to make Hana cooperate as long as I’ve known her. Now you’ve got her on your superhero team. I’m impressed.”

  A real smile curls her lips, and my chest warms. “She’s pretty badass. You should’ve seen her shoot that gun. I was trying to get out of the way in case she missed, but she didn’t.”

  “I think Scar taught her to shoot because it was the only way he could have peace of mind letting her out of his sight.” My voice cracks. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

  “But you can! Hana and I saved the day.”

  “You and Hana… the smallest of us.”

  “What’s the saying? Small but mighty?”

  “I wish I’d been there. I’d have beaten the shit out of all of them.”

  “My fighter.” Her eyes drop, and she glances up at me. “I love your strength.”

  I meet her gaze. “I love you.”

  “You do?” Her voice cracks, mist glistening in her eyes. “After everything I’ve done?”

  Warmth burns in my chest, and I slide my hands up her arms, avoiding the wires. “Of course I do.”

  “I love you.” Her hands cover my forearms. “I still want you on my team.”

  “You’ve got me.” I kiss her hand. “You’ll never fight alone again.”

  “Just like my dream.”

  “No more dreams, no more nightmares. I’ve got you. Understand?”

  She nods quickly. “And I’ve got you, professor.”

  Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek, sealing my lips to hers as our mouths part. Our tongues slide together, and the lash across my heart is healed.

  30

  Rainey

  “But what about your final grades?” Ali stands at the edge of my bed, sad-faced as she watches me pack my final belongings into my large suitcase.

  “They’re giving me an incomplete. I can’t attend classes like this.” I hold up the polished wooden cane I’ve been using since I left the hospital.

  The bullet caused nerve damage in my left hip, and while the physical therapist says I’ll make a full recovery, for now I have to do biweekly exercises using parallel bars, I have to tread water in the pool, and I have to walk with this stick.

  Hugh van Hamilton was kind enough to loan me one of his. “If you have to use a cane, you might as well do it in style,” he’d said. It was after he’d visited to thank me for saving his grand-nieces and his horses, although Blake and Hana helped with the horses.

  “Are you in terrible pain?” Ali strokes the side of my hair. “I can’t believe your friend shot you while cleaning his gun. With friends like that… you just need to stay here.”

  “I’m not in pain. It’s just weakness and numbness in my leg. And that’s the importance of gun safety—always make sure your gun is completely unloaded.”

  It was the only lie I could come up with—a horrible accident, and I’m lucky it wasn't worse.

  “Does this mean you’ll have to come back next semester to finish?” She’s so excited by the prospect, I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m already finished. I already have a degree.

  “Maybe…” I close my suitcase, sliding the zipper around the edge. “My family wants me to come home and recover, where they can help me.”

  A bubble of warmth grows in my chest at the word family, at knowing what it means now. Scar doesn’t say much, but before I was released, he visited me in the hospital alone.

  “I never knew I had a sister,” he’d said, standing tall at my bedside. “But the way you rushed into a burning barn to save Hana, to save the horses, it’s clear we’re related. It’s what I would’ve done.”

  His long hair was pulled back in a bun, and the imposing tattoos covering the scars on his arms were visible beneath the short-sleeved shirt he wore.

  “I think our hair and our eyes make it pretty clear we’re related as well,” I’d teased, strangely comfortable with his demeanor.

  He cut his wolf gaze at me, the same color as my own, then a rare smile curled his lips. He stepped forward to kiss the top of my head, and so much happiness rose in my chest it hurt. My father’s spirit was with us. I had them both again.

  “And your sister-in-law is having a baby…” Ali’s pout pulls me back to the present. She crosses her arms. “You’re going to forget all about us.”

  Exhaling a laugh, I put my arm around her shoulders. “I’ll never forget about you.” It wasn’t so long ago I was pissed to see her walk through that door. I thought of her as a complication to my plans. Who knew we’d get so close? “I’ll come back for a visit, and I’ll actually be in the same town as Professor Winston.”

  Dirk and I decided to say we’re from the same hometown on campus, considering he’d still like to continue his teaching job at Thornton.

  Ali’s eyes go wide. “You are not!” she cries. “You’ll be in Hamiltown with Professor Panty-dropper for the holidays?”

  “I don’t know that I’ll be with him…” Yes, I’ll be with him.

  “You are definitely coming back for a visit, then. I want to know everything.”

  “Okay.” I exhale a laugh as she pulls my suitcase out the door and to the elevator for me.

  Scar and Hana are waiting in the parking lot when we exit the dorm. I introduce them to my roomie, who clutches my arm at the sight of my oversized brother.

  “Your brother is scary,” she whispers in my ear. “Scary hot!”

  A laugh huffs through my lips. Scar and I are still getting used to this sibling thing, although I might be more excited about it than he is. I dreamed so many years of finding him, and like Hana said, overnight, I’m surrounded by family.

  Giving Ali another hug, I take the suitcase. “I’ll text you all the time, and I’ll be back for a visit as soon as I’m off this silly cane.”

  Perhaps I can even come clean as Professor Winston’s significant other…

  “I’m holding you to it.” She gives me another tight squeeze, and Scar takes my things, putting them in the back of his big black truck.

  Hana’s up front, and he helps me climb into the small backseat. With that, we’re headed out of Thornton, and my second round as a college student ends. Dirk and I agreed it would be better if I didn’t visit him on campus, but he’s coming back to his place tonight, and I’ll be waiting for him.

  “Thornton is adorable!” Hana coos as we drive off the campus, approaching the interstate highway. “I’d like to attend as a student, too!”

  “Dirk really likes it.” I glance back at the large academic buildings with their ivy-covered façades. “He’s a really good professor.”

  “Who knows? Maybe in eighteen years, we’ll be dropping off a little Lourde at the university,” Hana adds.

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Scar growls, and Hana and I both snicker.

  After helping me transport my things into Dirk’s massive loft, Hana tells me she brought the golf cart for me to use.

  “My pregnancy brain is so bad, I completely forgot I’d left it here last time.” Her voice catches, and worried eyes meet mine. “I guess you already knew that.”

  “Yeah…” My past indiscretions pop up at the most awkward times.

  Luckily Hana is a master at forgiveness. “So you know the way to Hugh’s, and we’ll see you around suppertime?”

  Chewing my lip, I look around the place, thinking of Dirk coming home later. “Maybe I can get ours to go?”

  “You definitely can.” She gives me a wink and a hug, and I’m alone in the space Dirk says we’re making ours.

  Opening my suitcase, I slowly remove my clothes and set them on the bed, carefully carrying them to the new dresser he put in the bedroom for me.

  Dirk wouldn’t hear of me returning to New York, so I let my old apartment in Hell’s Kitchen go, not that I was overly attached to it anyway. He hired a service to box up all my belongings and ship them to us here.

  I suggested I find my own apartment in Hamiltown, and Carmen offered to help me. Dirk’s no was so fiercely emphatic, I was turned on and a little defiant. I do love wrestling with him, after all.

  Having to get around with a cane means it takes several hours to get all my clothes and books and accessories arranged to my liking. I’ve never been more annoyed and frustrated with my body, but I’m doing my best to stay positive. The nice physical therapist said because of my age and athleticism, my body should recover more quickly. I’m a week in, and it’s already taking too long.

  By seven, I’m standing at the top of the stairs wondering how I’m going to get down them and over to Hugh’s to collect our dinner when I hear a vehicle pull up in the driveway. My chest sinks, because I wanted to have yummy food smells in the house when Dirk got home.

  Yes, it’s old-school housewife vibes, but I love it. I’m leaning into this new relationship. I want to give him all the care he deserves.

  “Miss Hana apologizes for not bringing this to you herself.” My eyebrows shoot up when I see Norris standing at the bottom of the stairs. “She helped me prepare everything, and she selected the wine…”

  “Please don’t apologize! This is so nice.”

  I carefully take one step down, and the older gentleman jogs up to me. “Stop right there. I was told you weren’t to do anything.”

  He takes my arm, leading me back into the loft. I watch as he quickly empties the large basket containing a small rotisserie chicken, steaming hot and smelling delicious. Up next are containers of scalloped potatoes and roasted butternut squash.

  “I’m going to have a hard time waiting for Dirk.” I rub a hand over my growling stomach, and he uncorks a bottle of sauvignon blanc.

  He pauses, taking out one last bundle. “Miss Hana sent you these butter cookies.”

  A sad smile curls my lips. “I remember having these in New York a long time ago.”

  “If that’s everything, I’ll be getting back to Mr. Hugh’s.”

  Leaning forward on my cane, I give the man a tight hug. “Thank you so much. No one’s ever taken care of me like this before.”

  He seems startled, straightening his coat when I release him, but I notice a hint of a smile on his formal lips as he nods and quickly leaves me alone. I carefully walk over and light a few candles, turn on the gas log in the fireplace, then I take a minute to change into a silky black dress with spaghetti straps. It ends at the top of my thighs, and of course, no underwear.

  At least my injury doesn’t cause pain. It causes my leg not to respond properly, but when I painted my toenails red this afternoon, I was able to wiggle all of them, which made me as happy as when I got my black belt.

  I’m just pulling a chunky cardigan over my shoulders when the door opens, and the heavy thud of boots running up the stairs sends my heart flying. Until he appears, and I lose my breath all over again, just like that first day in class.

  He doesn’t stop until he’s with me, pulling me into his arms and kissing the side of my neck. “I’m pretty sure this day couldn’t have been any longer.”

  My eyes slide closed as my fingers curl in his shirt, and I inhale deeply his clean citrus scent. Turning my face, I kiss his lips. “I had the opposite experience. This silly cane makes everything take twice as long.”

  He steps back, holding out my arms and running his eyes from my lips, slowly over my breasts and down to my bare feet in a hot caress. “You look great, although I can’t get over you with this thing.”

  “Check it out.” I hold it up, lifting the brass cover off the top of the polished cherry wood. “It has a watch on the end. Although if I had to use one on a permanent basis, I’d want something more elaborate. A bear claw… or a hand holding my hand.”

  “I’m the only one who holds your hand.” He steps closer, wrapping his arm around my waist again.

  “So possessive, professor,” I tease. “Come look at this.” Holding his arm and the cane, I do my best to lead him to the kitchen table. “Hana and Norris packed dinner for us!”

  “Are you hungry?” Wrinkling my nose, I nod, and he laughs. “Then I’d better feed you.”

  Plates are served, wine poured, and we’re sitting across from each other like an actual couple on a date—something we’ve never done.

  “I’m glad you stopped fighting me about living here.” Dirk takes a sip of wine, watching me over the candles.

  Sliding my right foot under the table, I tickle my toes under his pants leg. “I’ll fight you. Just give me three to six more weeks.”

  Heat fills his gaze, and he nods. “I’m looking forward to it. In the meantime, I’m taking care of you.”

  “I’ve never been taken care of before, professor.”

  He places his fork beside his plate, leaning back to take a long sip of wine. “You are now.”

  “Tell me about class.” I take another bite of the buttery potatoes.

  “Class was pretty quiet. I covered a surprising amount of material, almost like I wasn’t distracted by anything… or anyone.”

  “Are you saying there were no flirtatious female students?”

  “Maybe a few, but I wasn’t interested.”

  “What about your friend Sharon?”

  “Sharon got a boyfriend over fall break. Some guy from her hometown, which leads me to believe he was always waiting in the wings.”

  “I’m very happy for her.”

  Dirk grins at me as he shoves a slice of chicken into his mouth. “Either way, she’s almost finished with her dissertation, so she’ll be graduating in May.”

  “I wish her well. She should move far, far away.” I take a long sip of wine, feeling happily full of a delicious dinner.

  “And Evan?” Dirk’s tone turns dark, and a thrill races to my core.

  Grasping the cane, I carefully rise from my chair and make my way around to straddle his lap. “Evan meant nothing. He was only a tool.”

  “You bet he was.”

  I exhale a laugh, lifting his glasses off his eyes and placing them on the table.

  “Hana sent these for dessert.” I show him the small bundle of cookies.

  He takes them out of my hand, setting them behind me before grasping my thighs and standing, taking me with him. “I want something else for dessert.”

  A thrill races to my core, and I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his jaw as he walks to the bedroom.

  My lips pull the shell of his ear between my teeth. “What might that be, professor.”

  He lays me back on the bed, sliding his hands up the sides of my smooth thighs. “I’ve been wondering what was under this dress since I got home.”

  The silky fabric rises higher, and a cool breeze sweeps over my skin as he gets closer to…

  “Nothing,” I hum, heat flooding my core as his hot breath whispers over my skin. “Just how you like it, professor.”

  “It’s exactly how I like it.” He gives me a naughty grin before putting his mouth directly on my pussy.

  “Oh, fuck.” My knee rises as a moan slips from my mouth.

  His tongue moves quickly, sliding around and over my clit as the scruff of his beard brushes my inner thighs. Surges of pleasure race to my core, and my fingers thread in his soft hair.

  I gasp, my jaw dropping, and he groans against my clit. The building pressure makes me squirm, but he jerks me closer. His warm tongue is joined by teeth and intense suction, and I writhe, chanting, my eyes squeezed shut.

  He drags me closer to the edge of the bed, inserting two fingers and curling them against that place deep inside me. The moment he touches it, I stiffen as if electrified, and the orgasm fires through my lower belly.

  “Oh!” I scream, and he stands, unfastening his jeans and shoving them down roughly.

  His hard cock bobs out, pointing directly at me, and he slides it in with a low moan. My orgasm still spasms, and he reaches forward to grip the back of my neck as he slams into me hard and fast. He’s moving so vigorously, his tip ignites my G-spot, and I grip his arms, moaning as my second orgasm flares to life.

  My breasts bounce fast with every rapid thrust, and he groans deeply. His eyes squeeze shut, and his grip on my neck moves to my shoulders as his lips part.