When Dane walked in and saw the stricken look on Jaimi's face, he knew that he was almost too late. She was sitting on the end of his bed, his comforter pulled so tightly around her that he wasn't sure he could ever get her free of it. She stared at him wordlessly, terrified, shocked, confused.

He shut the door. "Hey."

Hey. What an asinine thing to say. But he literally had no idea what to say. He was too terrified of screwing it up. He realized that his hands were shaking as well, and he felt like he could barely breathe.

"They know," she whispered. "I heard. They know."

"Yeah." He walked across the room and knelt in front of her, setting his hands on her hips. "They figured it out last night. You both look too much like Stocktons."

"You said they wouldn't know. You said it would be okay."

"I was wrong." He could feel her trembling, and somehow, that made his tension fade. She was afraid. She needed him right now. She needed him to be strong for them both.

"Make them leave," she whispered. "Make them go away."

He paused, a thousand possible responses whirling through his brain. Things she wanted to hear. Things she needed to hear. Things he thought would be smart to say. Things that might work. Things that weren't his truth, the truth that his heart was telling him to say.

So, he spoke from the heart. "I love you, Jaimi."

She stared at him and shook her head. "No, don't say that. I need to leave—"

"No, you don't." He slid his hands under the comforter, moving them until he found her hands. They were ice cold and trembling. "I love you, and I love your kid. You know that, right?"

Her fingers tightened around his even as she shook her head. "Don't—"

"You know what love means to me. I told you about my parents. You understand what drives me, and how I operate, right?"

She swallowed and nodded silently.

"You know what family means to me, right? How I protected my sister? How I gave up a life outside this town because she needed me, right?"

She nodded again. "You're a protector," she whispered, her gaze flicking past him to the door, where the low hum of whispered conversation had resumed again.

"Exactly. I protect those I love fiercely, and that means you."

Her gaze flicked back to him. "You love them, as well. The Stocktons. You love them."

"I do, but they're my brothers. I'm stuck with them." He slid his hands to her face, loosening the comforter enough to frame her face. "But you, I choose." He kissed her gently, offering his strength to her cold lips.

She grasped his wrists, bent her head, resting her forehead against his chin. "I can't do this."

He began to play with her hair. "Last night, when I came back to look for you after you ditched me on the trailer—"

She looked up. "I ditched you because you made me leave my daughter with a murderer!"

"No." He put his finger over her lips. "Not a murderer. Never a murderer. Self-defense, or defense of others is not murder. It's survival." He sighed as she tensed, quickly resuming his story before they could get bogged down in that issue. He had a plan to deal with that in a moment. "When I walked over there, they were all standing there, challenging me, demanding to know about you. They knew that you and Emily were related to them, but they didn't know how. When I told them, do you know what they said?"

She shook her head, staring at him.

"I asked them not to go after you, and Chase told me that you were his sister, and he wasn't going to wait. He wanted to meet you as his sister." He cupped her face in his hands. "They love you already," he said gently. "Chase took me outside this morning when I told him they had to leave, and he told me that he wasn't going to give up on you. He needed you. They all need you. In their hearts, you became family the moment they found out you existed."

Tears filled her eyes and spilled out over her cheeks. "Really?"

"Really." He took a breath, and took one more risk, raising his voice. "Travis? Can you come in here?"

Jaimi tensed as the door opened immediately, as if someone had been listening at the door, which didn't surprise Dane in the least. He glanced over his shoulder as Travis walked in, and shut the door behind him, but not before Dane got a glimpse of everyone peering in, trying to see what was going on.

Jaimi caught her breath. "I'm naked under this," she hissed to Dane.

Travis grinned. "Trust me, I don't need to see my sister naked. I'm not peeking."

Jaimi pulled the comforter tighter around her. "You're an ass, Dane."

"I know." He sat next to Jaimi on the bed and put his arm around her. "Travis, show her the scar from your dad."

The smile dropped off Travis's face. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Jaimi made a small noise of protest. "I don't need to see this."

"Yes, you do." Dane gestured at Travis. "Show her the scar. Tell her what happened."

Travis stared at Dane for a long moment, and then began to unbutton his shirt. "I was a skinny teenager," he said, his voice even, devoid of emotion as he began to talk. "My dad was a piece of shit bastard."

The door opened, and Lissa slipped inside, and closed the door behind her. She walked up to Travis and slid her arms around his waist, holding him as he spoke. Travis sighed deeply when she touched him, and he shot her a grateful smile, displaying the same kind of love Dane used to see on his dad's face.

"I was the youngest," Travis continued, as he resumed unbuttoning his shirt. "My older brothers did a hell of a job protecting me, but eventually, I was the only one who still lived at home. One night, my dad came back from a night of drinking. I was in the garage playing guitar. I had the door locked from the inside, which I always did when he was out drinking."

He finished unbuttoning his shirt, and left it hanging open. Jaimi couldn't help but look at his torso, wondering what was hiding beneath it. She didn't want to know. She really didn't. But she was rooted in place, not just because she was naked and Dane's arm was around her, but because something deeper was calling her to this man, her brother, this famous superstar who was her own brother.

"My dad wanted to fight, and I ignored him. He started banging on the door, yelling at me to let him in." Travis put his arm around Lissa, and kissed the top of her head. The expression on Lissa's face was pure, unconditional, beautiful love, exactly how Dane had been looking at Jaimi right before he'd called Travis in.

"I went quiet," Travis said, "hoping he'd leave. He always wore himself out and left eventually. But this time, he didn't. He had a gun."

Jaimi sat up, almost losing her comforter before Dane pulled it tighter around her. "A gun? He was going to shoot you?"

"I don't know. He started shooting the door, and one of the bullets almost hit me. I had no way out, so I grabbed a shovel and opened the door."

Jaimi held her breath. "What happened?"

"He came at me like a lunatic. I got one blow in with the shovel, and then he pulled out his switchblade. He stabbed me." As he spoke, Travis pulled his shirt to the side. On his torso were several long scars across his stomach and ribs. Four scars. "The stab wounds weren't the problem. He broke my ribs and one of them punctured my lung. He left me on the floor and locked me in. I could feel my lungs filling up, and I knew I needed to get to the hospital fast, but I was locked in."

"Oh, God," she whispered, unable to stop the tears.

"Tell her the rest," Dane said, his voice rough with emotion. "Tell her what Chase did."

Jaimi finally understood what Dane was doing. He was trying to show her what her brothers were really like. "I don't—"

"Yes, you do." Dane said firm. "Travis, finish it."

Travis pulled his shirt closed over his chest and sat down on an armchair in the corner of Dane's room. Lissa sat down sideways on his lap, her arms wrapped around him as he spoke. Travis locked his arms around her waist, holding tightly. "I called Chase. I told him to get me out of there."

She glanced at Dane. "You didn't call the police?"

"Dane wasn't sheriff then. The sheriff at the time was a drinking buddy of my dad's. Things weren't right in this town until Dane took over." He glanced at Dane. "We needed you."

"You got me now. I'm not going anywhere." He squeezed Jaimi. "See? Everyone loves me."

She managed a smile as Travis resumed his story. "When Chase showed up, my dad met him with a gun. Told him to walk away. Chase didn't. He went for the garage to get me out, and my dad went after him. They fought, and my dad ended up dead." He met Jaimi's gaze. "And that was the day we all became free."

Silence fell, and Jaimi couldn't stop the tears. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm not. He needed to die." Travis pressed a kiss to Lissa's hair, while she ran her hand over his arm, clearly comforting him. "But here's the thing, Jaimi, the thing we've all had to understand. That bastard might be the man who fathered all of us, including you, but he's nothing to us. He's a past that we share, but we'll never let him win. None of us have ever touched a drink in our lives. None of us have ever touched anyone in anger, let alone a child or a woman. And we never will. He didn't win, Jaimi. He didn't beat us, and he's not going to stand in the way of us finding our sister."

Jaimi suddenly felt deep shame for what she'd thought of them, for how she'd judged them. She'd believed in Dane, even when he'd admitted he would have killed his uncle to protect his sister, but she'd refused to give that same treatment to her brothers.

How much they had all suffered, and yet somehow, they were all upstanding, loyal, family men. Dads. Husbands. Siblings. Good people.

"Thanks, Travis," Dane said.

Her brother nodded. "I don't talk about that night, Jaimi. I wouldn't tell that story for anyone, except my sister."

"Thank you for trusting me," she said quietly, her throat raw.

"You bet."

Lissa tapped Travis's arm. "Let's give them a moment."

Travis looked like he was going to argue, then sighed when Lissa raised her eyebrows at him. They both stood up. "We'll be in the living room," Travis said. "We're getting hungry. Don't make us wait long for breakfast, sis."

He winked at her as he took Lissa's hand and followed her out the door.

The door shut behind them, leaving her alone with Dane.

For a long moment, they sat in silence. Jaimi leaned into Dane, and closed her eyes, focusing on the strength and warmth of his frame as he held her. "That was mean," she finally said.

"Mean?"

"Yes. How am I supposed to continue to judge and resist my brothers when I see them in that light?"

He made a strangled noise, and suddenly she found herself on her back, with Dane bracing himself on his forearms above her. "Damn, woman, don't ever mess with me like that again. I was scared shitless walking in here, wondering how I could possibly keep from losing you. Having Travis tell his story was all I could think of, but the whole time he was talking, I kept thinking that maybe I'd done the one thing that would make me lose you forever."

She saw the tension in his eyes, and felt the depth of his fear. "I didn't know it would work either," she admitted. "I didn't want to hear it, but I needed to." She locked her hands behind Dane's neck, needing to feel him against her. "The story helped me understand Chase, but it scared me about my dad."

He nodded. "I knew it would. I'm sorry."

She smiled, her heart softening at the tenderness in Dane's face. "But when I saw how Lissa looked at Travis, how much she loves him and trusts him, I knew that there was beauty in his soul. That somehow, someway, he, and the others, have managed to be good people despite their dad." She paused. "Our dad." Our dad. The words sounded so foreign. Both words. Sharing a parent with someone else. And having a father. "I would wish that I didn't have a horrible man for a father, but my mom would be so not impressed that I just said that."

Dane grinned. "Let me guess. She'd tell you to appreciate the fact you have nine brothers, five sisters-in-law, and a whole slew of nieces and nephews."

"Undoubtedly." Jaimi searched Dane's face, and her own heart. "She'd also have something else to say."

His brows went up. "What's that?"

"She'd be utterly disappointed in me if I gave up the greatest adventure of my life because I was afraid."

He smiled. "And what adventure is that, my love?"

"Loving you." She took a deep breath, surprised at how liberating and beautiful it sounded to admit that aloud. "I love you, Dane. My heart loves you." She put her hand on his chest, over his heart. "My soul is at peace when I'm with you. My mom always said that our greatest, most reliable compass is nestled deep in our souls. And it's pointing to you."

His smile widened. "The most beautiful words I've ever heard," he whispered. "Forever won't be enough time, but we'll have to take it. I love you, Jaimi, and we're just getting started." He bent his head and kissed her, the most sensual, most amazing, most loving kiss of her life—

A loud knock sounded on the door. "Just in case you forget," Lissa called out. "Your bedroom door is unlocked, and there are two young spies out here who aren't going to wait much longer before they drag you two out here for breakfast."

Jaimi giggled as Dane let out a low groan and buried his face in her neck. "Five minutes. All I want is five minutes with the woman I love. Is that so much to ask?"

She grinned. "Well, we don't have five minutes. Would forever work instead?"

He lifted his head. "Forever is a big word," he teased gently.

"It is."

He grinned. "It kinda scares me."

She laughed as he played her old sentiments back to her. "Well, it's a good thing that I'm badass and brave. I'll keep us together until you're ready to handle me. "

"That's fantastic." He kissed her hard and deep, then pulled back. "Not that I don't like you naked in a comforter, but I'm wondering if maybe it will be hard to eat breakfast that way."

She raised her eyebrows. "You think jeans?"

"And a shirt." He pulled the comforter aside and inspected her bare chest. He kissed each breast twice, then nodded. "Yes, definitely a shirt."

"God, there are such weird customs in Wyoming." She pushed him off her and grabbed her bra from the floor where they'd tossed it the night before. "I can't believe naked family breakfasts aren't a thing."

He lounged back on the bed, watching her with a heated gaze as she got dressed. "We could make it a thing. Send Emily over to Hannah and Maddox's for a cousin sleepover, and then do a naked breakfast with just us."

"With strawberries and whipped cream?"

"Hell, yeah." He paused. "I assume you mean that I am supposed to lick the whipped cream off you?"

Finished with her clothes, she sat next to him to put on her boots, her soul emitting a deep sigh of peace when he set his hand on her back. "No, that would just be sticky and messy. We would just eat. We've made love once, why do we need to do it again?"

"Why?" He grabbed her around the waist and tossed her back on the bed. "Why?" He lowered himself on her and kissed her fiercely, until she was a puddle of melted goo. He pulled back. "That's why."

"Oh." She wrinkled her brow. "That's a good reason. I'm in."

"Thank God. And the whipped cream?"

She grinned. "I'll consider it as a definite possibility."

"Awesome. That's all I ask, is for you to consider it." Dane swung off the bed and held out his hand, pulling her to her feet when she settled her hand in his. "Ready?"

"Not even close."

"Great. Nothing good ever waits until you're ready." He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a tight hug. "I love you, sweetheart. I'm in this with you."

"I know." She hugged him back, wishing she could stay in his arms forever. "My mom would love you," she whispered. "You make me brave."

"My parents would have loved you. You're everything that I deserve."

She laughed and swatted his chest. "What about me?"

"I'm everything you deserve." He grinned and caught her wrist as she swatted at him again. "Quick question before we go out there. Are you still planning to go back to Boston today?"

She took a deep breath. "No."

"Tomorrow?"

She shook her head. "I'm kind of keeping it open-ended right now."

He walked them toward the door. "Can I make a request?"

"Sure." Her heart started to race as he reached for the door.

"Stay forever. With me. With your family. With all of us." He paused with his hand on the knob. "When you're ready, I'm going to ask you to marry me. It's going to be extremely romantic, so it'll be worth staying around for."

She swallowed. "I'm beginning to like romance."

He grinned. "So, you'll think about it?"

She squeezed his hand. "I'll definitely consider it."

"Fantastic." His smile faded. "You've got this."

She looked into his eyes, into his handsome face, so full of love, and she knew he was right. She did have it.

The door suddenly opened. "Mom?"

She smiled at her daughter. "Yes, pumpkin?"

"They know."

Her smile widened. "I know."

"So, we don't have to be spies?"

"Nope."

"Not ever?"

"Not ever." As she spoke, Jaimi glanced out in the living room. The first person she saw was Chase, who was leaning against the far wall, watching her. Tears filled her eyes, and suddenly she couldn't talk.

Chase immediately levered himself off the wall and strode across the room toward her. Dane put his hand on her back as Chase approached, and she leaned into him, her heart racing as Chase neared.

He stopped just in front of her, his blue eyes twinkling. "Hey, sis. Welcome to the family." His voice was thick with emotion, making her own tears spill free.

"I never wanted a brother," she whispered.

He grinned. "What are you going to do with nine of them, then?"

"Cry?"

"That works for me." He reached for her, and she instinctively moved forward, and then suddenly, she was being held in the tightest hug she'd ever had in her life. There was a resounding cheer, and then suddenly, more arms were being flung around her, until she was buried in hugs, loving arms, and tears of joy.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Dane whispered in her ear, his arms locked around her waist, as he stood behind her, his body her shield, as she knew it always would be.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.

He kissed her cheek. "Forever starts today."

For the first time in her life, forever didn't scare her.

Forever with Dane, and her family, felt perfect.