The night ended with a bang, literally, but everyone who mattered had escaped more or less unscathed. Even Calvin’s car, which Declan had borrowed for the night and returned the next day smelling of perfume.

But Calvin didn’t care. The things he truly cared about had survived.

After a parade of showers to rinse the strife of the night from their skin, they’d dressed in clean clothes and partaken in the biggest pizza they could order. Not long after the meal, Zoe’s eyes drooped from her spot on her mother’s lap. She held out her arms to Calvin, though, when Lily declared it was time for bed. She tucked her head against him, and a speck of dust irritated his eyes.

Fuck, but he loved this child. He couldn’t have said how or why it happened; it just had.

A sloppy kiss later for him and Lily, and Zoe slept in the spare room of his house. The trauma she’d suffered would take time to heal, especially the loss of her father. But she was young, and Calvin planned to be part of that healing.

Harry was dealing with the aftermath of the explosion. Hard to hide what had happened when cops and fire trucks were on the scene, scooping up body parts and putting out flames. On a positive note, it did erase the evidence of Zoe’s and Lily’s presence. The word already circulating was that rival drugs gangs had battled it out.

He wondered how they would spin it once it was discovered via DNA match that Brock and some of his police cronies had been present. Probably be painted as hero cops who tried to save the day and got killed while on duty.

It made him want to gag to think that people might believe Brock was a hero instead of a crook. But he’d allow it for Zoe’s sake.

All that mattered tonight was sticking close to Lily. He’d come so close to losing her.

It made the relief in him almost euphoric that they’d both survived. It also made him fucking horny.

We’ve alive. And together.

He couldn’t stop touching her.

She, on the other hand, shook. The events of the evening, along with Brock’s death, had hit her hard. It made Calvin want to kill the man again for putting Lily through this shit, but at the same time, he wanted to thank the bastard—who’d managed to pop the trunk and insert himself into the unfolding drama—as he had proven himself to not be a complete douchebag when he’d taken the bullet meant for Lily.

In time, she’d get over it, especially once she remembered why Zoe had gotten taken in the first place. It was why he didn’t expect anything when he told her she was sleeping at his house that night—and every night thereafter. No way was he leaving her out of his sight. “It will be safer. The guy in the hood is still out there.”

She didn’t argue. Just collected some clothes and other items with him standing guard. She’d not said much at all to him. She’d saved most of her soft words for Zoe as she tucked her in.

Only once the door closed behind Mason, who’d watched over Zoe while Calvin helped Lily gather her stuff, did her shoulders droop.

“Is it over?” she asked.

Should he lie? “Possibly not.”

“Do you think we’re still in danger?”

“Probably.” He wanted to shoot himself for the honesty, but Lily deserved it.

She raised her gaze to meet his. “Being with you means sleepless nights and watching my step.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll protect us.”

“With my life.”

At that, her lips curved into a smile. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Does this mean—”

“That I want to be with you?” She cocked her head and paused, making him wait. “Yes. Which is probably crazy, and yet, you came for me. You went after Zoe.”

“I will always come for you both. You are my world now. My reason for everything.”

The most beautiful smile lit her expression. “I love you, too.”

“You do?” For some reason, the hope in him refused to flutter free. For so long, he’d been unloved, unwanted. How could this woman, this wonderful fucking woman, love him?

“I most definitely do. I might not agree with your job”—her nose wrinkled—“but then again, the world isn’t always as black and white as I’d like. Look at Brock. He was supposed to be one of the good guys.” She shook her head. “In the end, good really is in the eye of the beholder, and in my eyes, you’re a good man, Calvin Jones. My man.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Just do me a favor and try not to bring your work home.”

He laughed. “I’ll do my best.” Everyone at Bad Boy Inc. would do their best to ensure this town, this place they’d staked and claimed as theirs, was safe.

This is our home. And they’d defend it with their lives.

“I say we seal the deal.”

He expected a kiss. Instead, she caught his hand and tugged at him. He followed her up the stairs to the second floor, tiptoeing past the guest bedroom—Zoe’s room—to the master suite.

She shut the door and leaned on it. Her eyes hooded, her lips parted.

“Strip for me.”

A man didn’t argue with an order like that. Calvin grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and couldn’t get it off fast enough.

Lily matched him, tugging off her own shirt, revealing her bra. The mom bra as she called it. Beige and covering her breasts entirely; yet, in his eyes, so fucking sexy. He stared, and her nipples puckered through the fabric.

She always reacted to his stare, but then again, so did he, his cock swelling and aching.

“Pants now.”

In moments, they’d both shed their pants, but she kept on her underwear. White cotton had never looked so tempting.

Her hips swayed as she took the few steps needed to bridge the gap between them. His entire being prickled with awareness when she placed her hands flat against the tense muscles of his abdomen.

“Lie down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” This assertive side of her was proving very arousing. Somehow, by finally declaring their feelings for each other, the last hint of resistance, the part of her she held back, was unleashed.

And he got to benefit from it.

He lay on the bed, hands laced behind his head, a willing slave to whatever she had planned.

“You are a big man, Calvin Jones.” She crawled onto the bed and straddled his waist. Her head cocked to the side. “A really big man.” Her gaze dropped to his cock, which jerked in reply. “But I think I can handle you.”

“Show me,” he teased, his voice husky and low. Her breasts proved too much of a temptation. He reached to cradle them, his thumbs stroking over the fabric hiding the tips.

Her head tilted back, and she sighed as he touched her. He pinched the tips, and she squirmed, the crotch of her panties wet and teasing.

Tugging at the cups of her bra, he freed her breasts, the peaks jutting proudly, begging for his mouth.

“Bring them to me.”

She leaned down, enough that he could latch on to a pert tip and suck. He hummed as he lavished her breasts with attention. She kept squirming, making happy sighs and moans that drove him fucking wild.

All too soon, she pulled her nipple free, but he couldn’t complain, not when she went on her knees and kissed a trail down his body, her teeth nipping at his nipples.

Inch by inch, she worked her way down, brushing her mouth over his tense stomach muscles and lower still. She shifted down his body so that she straddled his thighs and could stare down at his cock.

It rose to attention.

She wrapped her hand around his shaft, the fingers not quite able to meet. She squeezed, and he groaned. She slid her hand up to the ridge and smeared the pearl at the tip with her thumb. When she reached down to lick, his hips jerked off the mattress.

She licked him again, and again, laving him, showering him with attention, leaving no part of his cock untouched by her tongue and mouth. Aroused beyond belief, his fingers dug into the sheets as she worked him, taking the head of his shaft into her mouth, sucking it, the suctioning pressure so damned good. His hips bucked, and his whole frame trembled as she slid her lips up and down the length of him.

It felt so fucking good. Calvin fought for control, tried to hold on, especially since he had other plans. Finishing in her mouth, while awesome, wasn’t one of them.

With a growl of, “My turn,” he rolled and repositioned them until she lay under him and he was nestled between her thighs. He left her panties on, choosing to suck at her through the fabric, adding a layer of temptation.

She moaned and thrashed on the bed, her hips undulating, her honey soaking through the thin material.

He tore the cotton from her, eagerly latching on to her sex, feasting on her glorious flesh. But he wouldn’t let her come.

Like hell.

Once again, he rolled them and told her to, “Sit on me.”

She needed no other urging. She positioned herself above his shaft, the moistness of her sex teasing the tip of his cock. His hands grabbed hold of her hips and pulled her down, filling her with his cock.

Her head reared back, and she let out a cry. “Cal!” Nails dug into his chest as she rode him, her entire body undulating and gyrating, drawing him deeper into her trembling flesh.

He couldn’t help but watch, reveling in the intimate connection of their bodies, noting the pink blush suffusing her skin. Her lips were open on a sigh, her eyes closed as she basked in the pleasure.

When she came, he came, too, their climax a thing of absolute bliss, a joining of bodies and soul.

This was what he’d been looking for all his life. This woman. This moment. This love.

He even loved the morning after when a little body crawled atop the sheets and announced, “I’m hungry. Calvin, can you help me get a bowl?”

Fucking right he would. He’d do anything for his family—as soon as he found some pants.