Ava hooted for the glory of the moment as they hit the highway and Chris finally let the hog do what it was built for—fly.

Her hair, although clamped to her head under her helmet, flared behind her, and the wind hit her skin with a chill that was delightful in the heat of the day.

Her arms were around Chris for safety’s sake. But the way she was squeezing him had nothing to do with practicality and everything to do with need.

She hadn’t been lying when she said she’d dreamed of this moment, and it was a thousand times better than she’d ever imagined.

For a second, she pressed her forehead to the center of his back and squeezed his waist harder. One of his hands dropped down from the handlebars to grab hold of her fingers. Hers clung to his for a second until he moved it back.

A smile crossed her lips as she tilted her head back again, this time to let the sun and the wind trickle over her face.

Goddess, she felt alive.

For the first time in months, it felt like something other than apathy and lethargy were flushing through her veins.

Laughter burst from her, until an unmistakable sound hit her. She twisted her head over her shoulder and turned to look at the road behind her.

She squeezed him harder at the sight of two dozen bikes.

Her dad would have sent them after her had they just run off. But no way were The Nomads chasing after them, not when her father had been the one to send them off!

“Bikes! Two dozen,” she yelled, sitting straighter so she could scream the words into his ear.

He nodded. “I see them.”

She barely heard his response as the bikes suddenly raced toward them, drowning them in the sound of twenty plus engines.

She twisted around to look at the faces of the riders. But when she didn’t recognize anyone, and she knew everyone in the MC, fear replaced the delicious glory she’d been feeling moments before.

The bikes surrounded them. Some racing ahead to cut off the front of the road, others staying behind, and the majority splitting into two groups to sandwich them on either side.

It came as no surprise when they started shepherding them off the road, forcing them to take the wrong turn off when Chris had told her they were heading to Houston.

In her arms, Chris was tense as hell. She was pressed so close to him that she could feel his Bear throbbing with rage, and knew he was having a hard time containing the beast.

She nuzzled into him, trying to make sure he knew she wasn’t frightened, that he didn’t have to get any angrier for fear she was trembling behind him.

Crazy thing was, she wasn’t scared.

Since her and most of the cubs’ birth, the MC had gone corporate. There was no fancier way of phrasing it. Gone were the days of gang wars and brothers heading off to jail as frequently as they went to the grocery store.

Some brothers hadn’t liked it, so they’d gone elsewhere. Others had liked the sound of a Clan where their families could have food on the table with no fear of their father being taken away; either by death or the cops.

MCs were natural gatherings for Clans. The freedom of the road helped in these modern times where shifting wasn’t so easy, and the beast had to remain caged more than it was free.

Trouble came with that route, however, and The Nomads had been wholly involved in some of the worst crimes imaginable. Human trafficking, murder... She’d read her mother’s diaries at the time of her mate bond. Knew what the MC’s previous Prez had gotten The Nomads into, and the depths he’d been willing to sink to for a dollar.

That had all changed shortly after her dad had mated her mom. They’d been in the throes of a gang war that had petered out once a local Cartel leader had been sent down for a long time.

With the shift in business approach, the danger had soon passed. She’d never had to feel fear for her life or her family because that was no longer how they made their bread and butter.

So, why, when safety was all she’d known, she was cool as a cucumber during these tense and unknown moments, Ava wasn’t entirely sure.

It made little sense, but at the same time, her response was completely automatic. It wasn’t like she could make herself freak out as they took the turn they’d been shepherded down.

She turned again to look at some of the riders’ faces. A few leered at her, others looked disinterested.

She was used to the former, so it didn’t bother her. Maybe they thought once she and Chris were wherever they wanted, they could ‘do’ something to her.

They were wrong.

She was a Bear Shifter.

Granted, it was harder for a female Bear Shifter to shift than a male. Some weird twist of fate made it so that they could only change forms when danger approached.

A bizarre flight or fight response that worked out perfectly for her in these moments.

When the cavalcade of bikes turned left and surrounded by them, Chris had no alternative but to go along for the ride.

When they pulled to a halt, he immediately shucked off his helmet and demanded, “What the fuck do you want?”

“Get off the bike,” one rider said, veering toward them, obviously, the head of the pack.

“Why should I? You’re not my Prez,” Chris retorted, and she stiffened because that meant he was aware who the riders were.

She’d seen on the back of their cuts they were called Spiders Venom MC, but she’d never heard of them. Never wanted to either.

Chris had joined the MC before the brothers had gone legit, so she guessed he knew them from those days. She hoped that was the case anyway.

“Get off the bike, Chris,” came the low order from the youngish biker. He looked to be around thirty, was a dirty blond, and one of those SOBs who was too handsome for their own good.

It was one thing to be attractive, but to know it was totally unattractive in her opinion.

That being said, the dirty blond with the face of a GQ model—save for the tattoo on his throat of a spider—had them at a disadvantage. Entirely outnumbered, she saw no alternative but to do as he said, and when she kicked her leg over and did as bid, Chris didn’t grab her to stop her. He saw they were out of options too.

Not that that was a difficult decision to come to. After all, they were in a small circle made by riders and bikes from a different MC. And though the Prez knew Chris by name, a fact she wasn’t happy about, they were still, essentially, in enemy territory even as close to the Clan house as they were. Territory meant jack in this instance.

With a grunt, Chris dismounted the bike too, but the minute he was on his feet, he reached for her, not stopping until his arm was curled about her shoulder and he could tuck her in close to him.

Once again, she felt the low hum of his Bear, and knew that was out of the creature’s fury at the danger she was in.

It was funny that her own She Bear didn’t react in kind. Especially with his as a prompt. Instead, the creature remained perfectly at ease which helped her considerably when she looked at the Prez square in the eye and asked, “You have me at a disadvantage. You are?”

Pearly white teeth gleamed at her as he smiled. “The name’s Spyder.”

She grunted. “Original.”

Chris tensed at her side, but Spyder just chuckled. “It makes sense that Mars Donner’s daughter would be ballsy as fuck.”

“Then you really have me at a disadvantage if you know my father.”

“I didn’t.” He folded his arms across his chest. “My daddy did.”

“I was sorry to hear when Avery died,” Chris stated, voice gruff.

Spyder tilted his head in thanks at the kindness, but Ava whipped around so she could stare at him in astonishment.

“How do you know these people?”

Spyder chuckled. “These people?” More laughter howled from him. “Princess, we’re riders. Just like your daddy and the men he leads were.”

She pursed her lips. “I meant no disrespect.”

“Oh, I’m certain that’s a lie,” came the lightning fast response.

“A mind reader are you now?” she snapped. “Look, let’s cut the bull. What do you want? Or was this just for a happy reunion? If that’s the case, I’m sure there are easier ways to get in touch with someone. You know, like a cell phone?”

Spyder’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve a mouth on you, haven’t you?”

“More than that, I’ve got brains too. So, whatever the fuck you want, get to it.” Maybe the lack of fear was screwing her over because his benevolent amusement had turned into irritation.

Still, she’d been left with no choice. He was no longer looking at her like she was a moron, but a person with a brain.

She hated being underestimated, even if it was to her own detriment.

“That mouth might get the better of you.”

“It already would have done by now if you’d intended on hurting us.”

Chris hissed out a breath. “Let me handle this.”

“No. I’m not some weakling you need to protect,” she denied immediately. “The man wants to talk to us for a reason, so let’s get to that reason before we all melt.”

Spyder peered up at the sky as though her words were an unwelcome reminder of just how damn hot it was. He squinted then grimaced. “Point taken.” He lifted a hand and scratched at the scruff on his jaw. “I need to ask your father a favor.”

“Why not just knock on the clubhouse’s door? He’s there more often than he’s not.”

Spyder grinned. “That would be too easy. Far easier to get him to agree through you.”

Almost as though his words were the catalyst, a black van pulled up behind the horde of bikes. The sides were blocked out, passenger windows tinted. She could see a driver in front, but no passengers, only, as she watched, the side door slid open and a few more riders jumped out from the back.

She narrowed her eyes when Chris tightened his arm around her.

“What the fuck, Spyder? Are you crazy?” her mate demanded.

“You honestly think I’ll let you, what? Kidnap me?”

Spyder laughed. “You think you could stop us? Chris is strong, but he ain’t that strong. Not against thirty riders.”

She smiled. “You’d be a fool to underestimate me.”

“I’m sure your balls are as big as your mouth, sugar, but I don’t have time for negotiations. I need Mars to do as I say. Now.”

For the first time, she felt the same low throb inside her as she’d done when she’d embraced Chris tightly. Her Bear was responding to the threat around her.

How could it not?

“You really don’t want to do this,” she said as blandly as she could manage. Ava knew, full well, that if she showed any level of fear, they’d pounce on that like the animals they were.

And Shifters had the bad rep.

“Oh, and why’s that, princess?” Spyder retorted, a sneer spoiling the pretty line of his mouth.

“Because you’ll regret it when the consequences hit you square in the face.”

His eyes widened, then, laughter hooted from him. “Can’t you count, princess?”

“Oh, I’m well aware we’re outnumbered, Spyder. I’d have to be blind not to see that.” She smiled, then, as the Bear responded to her words, shifted.

Her roar drowned out their screams of fear.

She Bears never shifted. Not unless they were in danger.

The danger was so imminent, the air reeked of it, making his Bear as ready as hers to shift, but he’d been waiting for them to attack. Ava’s She Bear was more sensitive than his, so the minute she was in her other form, he gave himself a second to enjoy the screams of terror she cause,d then took another second to revel in the rare sight of her—she had unusual coloring as She Bears usually did, white with gold streaks at her scruff—then he shifted too.

Knowing full well the Doe would kill, not just attack, he roared out his rage and stalked forward.

He had to minimize the damage she wrought. This wasn’t going to end well for anyone here tonight, and the morons were clever enough to see that.

Over a third of the thirty plus disappeared the instant she shifted. Hurrying back to their bikes, they roared off into the horizon. Some might call them pussies or cowards, but they were the wisest of the lot.

The remaining twenty, he intended to storm through the majority of them. Leaving a handful to Ava.

It wasn’t that he gave a fuck about the men. They shouldn’t have attacked if they didn’t want to bear the repercussions of their actions. It was that each death would weigh heavily on Ava’s soul. She would mourn each loss and in turn hate herself for the inevitable.

She Bears were ruthless. Violent. Many would say evil.

But they weren’t accustomed to shifting. They weren’t let out often, and when they were, it was in dangerous circumstances. Was it any wonder they were volatile?

Chris barely let a few days pass without shifting. He wouldn’t be surprised if, in Ava’s relatively cloistered and safe life, she’d shifted for the first time at fifteen, and that was probably the last time too.

She was glorious though. He cast glances at her as he sliced his claws through arms, thighs, and torsos, doing the bare minimum to maim and cut the numbers down so he could send them on their way and minimize the damage Ava would reap.

The screams were insane, but the ones around him were nothing to the ones Ava was causing.

A shrill, sharp shriek echoed around the clearing, and he winced at the sound of it and then the stench of death that filled the area.

The men, who had been trying to stab him with their useless knives, stopped. Froze. They turned to the She Bear, saw she was onto the second man, and all of them blanched. Some retreated, heading for their bikes and safety. Only a few remained, trying to overwhelm him. It didn’t work. A few more swipes of his paws and they staggered and limped off, heading back to their bikes as fast as their injuries would allow.

He let them, watching with narrowed eyes as they trudged off, making sure they weren’t trying to trick him. The instant only a handful remained, ones that Ava had cornered in the layby, he went to her.

She heard him, turned her head and bellowed her rage at his approach.

His Bear reveled in the sight of her in her enraged glory. Jesus, she was beautiful. Even with the blood streaking her white fur, bleaching it a pink, her maw loaded with the scarlet liquid, staining the purity of her coloring with slashes of violence.

She was full Bear in that moment. A man might have been repulsed by such a sight. He was aroused. His Bear was so fucking proud at that moment, at the way she fought, at the way she defended herself, he felt like his skin could burst with it.

He roared at her, demanding she back off. She didn’t submit at first, but then he hadn’t expected her to. She was too deep in the overwhelming ire that the men had triggered by trying to kidnap her. As such, he bellowed twice more until she let out a whimper that damn near broke his Bear’s heart. But he had to remain strong, had to stay dominant because if he didn’t, if he let the She Bear’s rage continue to fuel her, the five men left standing would quickly be decimated, and in the periphery of his vision, he saw she’d already butchered three men.

Spyder was among the men left standing, and he looked like he was about to shit himself. He might have done. The stench of crap was already in the air, as was piss. From the dead men, but maybe from the ones left alive too. He didn’t know.

As he tumbled forward, she staggered back, letting him pass. He roared at her again until she carried on. He watched her until she hit the tree line at the side of the layby. The minute she was away from the stench of death, the scents of nature overtaking the violence still simmering in the air, he knew she’d shift. Or at least, he knew she’d calm down.

He didn’t think about that though. The trees and the dirt, even though it was sand and not nice and loamy which would have gotten to work on her quicker, would twist her out of the knot these men had forced her in.

He shifted back the minute he took his eyes off her. It took a few seconds to orient himself, but the sight of the men quivering in their boots would stick with him for a lifetime.

Not many Shifters and their mates would survive an ambush of this nature, and the victory on his face told that tale as he quietly stated, “Take your dead in the van.”

“You’re letting us go?” Spyder tried to demand, the quiver in his voice spoiled it.

“Yes. We’re not monsters. You attack us, we defend ourselves.”

“We didn’t fucking do anything!”

“Like you weren’t going to try,” he immediately dismissed, batting the retort away with the ease of his Bear swatting a fly. “Be grateful I dealt with most of your men and not her. There’d be more dead if that were the case.”

Spyder’s mouth worked. “I never knew The Nomads MC was a Shifter Clan.”

Chris managed, barely, to withhold the grimace. That secrecy was how they preferred it. If it got out... Well, Mars couldn’t exactly go mad. Not when it was the attempted abduction of his daughter that had let the secret loose.

Still, he didn’t grimace or pull a face to display his irritation at the truth being out. Instead, he murmured, “If you know what’s good for you, that particular truth will stay close to your chest.” Spyder made to argue but Chris just carried on, “Or I could let Ava silence you forever. Which option do you prefer?” At his words, they all blanched. He smiled. “I thought as much. Now, fuck off.”

They rushed off, heading for the three dead guys on the floor. Only Spyder didn’t dirty his hands, he watched as four of his guys tumbled and struggled with the dead weight of the corpse in their arms as they headed toward the van. When the two bodies were inside, two more men came for the third and final cadaver. Only when that body was in the van did Spyder turn to him and say, “I still need to talk to Mars.”

Astonished by the bastard’s audacity, Chris hooted out a laugh. “And you think that’s going to happen?”

“It’s a matter of life and death, dammit. You think I went to this length for fun?” Spyder demanded, jutting his chin forward, eyes flaring wide with his anger.

“I don’t know what the fuck you were thinking, and I don’t care to either. Now, like I said before, fuck off. She’s on the knife’s edge, and it won’t take much to call her back.” His gaze flashed to his mate who was leaning against a tree, still in her Bear form, which meant the beast felt the threat hadn’t lessened.

When he looked back at Spyder, he saw the other man’s attention was on his mate too. The fear in his eyes had a grin twitching along Chris’s lips.

A jerky nod was all Spyder gave as a response before he rushed back to his bike. One of the remaining four climbed behind the wheel of the van, while the other three did as Spyder had done.

“Oh, and leave the bikes. My MC will come and collect them as retribution for your attack.”

Spyder’s nostrils flared wide at his holler. He revved his engine, let it turn over, then the hog roared its fury as he took off, taking a right back in the direction they’d come from.

His men swiftly followed leaving behind a layby that looked like an animal had been skinned here.

Grimacing at the sight, he peered up at the sky and wondered if rain would bless them. But this was Houston. It didn’t rain until there was a fucking hurricane, then the heavens opened too widely.

Sighing, he opened his cell and called Kiko. Mars would just hit the roof and would want to put Ava on lockdown. Chris intended on holing up with her in a hotel so there was no doubt she’d be safe, but Mars wouldn’t be happy until his baby girl was back in the clubhouse under lock and key.

“I didn’t expect to hear from you for another week!” Kiko hooted out a laugh. “I’m so glad you found your mate, buddy. That’s insane it’s Ava!”

Chris grimaced. He’d forgotten he was in for a wave of celebrations and congratulations at his Binding. “I know, it’s crazy, isn’t it?”

“You don’t sound so happy,” Kiko retorted, confusion lacing his tone at Chris’s words.

“I’m not. We were ambushed. Spider’s Venom just tried to kidnap Ava. Thirty of the fuckers ran us off the road. One of their vans pulled up, and...”

“Jesus. She shifted.” A whoosh of air sounded down the line. “How many dead?”

“Three. But they took the bodies away.”

“Whereabouts are you?”

“I’ll send you my location. It’s easier than describing it. We’re on a layby that hugs the tree line.”

“Has she shifted back?”

He shot his mate a look. She was in human form thankfully, her back to a tree, hugging herself like she was broken.

The sight of her rocking herself was more than his heart could stand. “I need to go, Kiko, but I’ll send you my location and I need you to get someone over here to clean up. There’s a shit load of blood.”

Kiko grunted. “There would be. I’ve only seen a She Bear attack once, and it was one of the nastiest fucking bloodbaths I’ve ever seen. But,” he hesitated. “Chris, what about the Spider’s Venom? They can’t be allowed to get away with this.”

“Tell Mars. He needs to know anyway, but I just didn’t want him to recall us to the clubhouse.”

“I guess that means you’re not going to tell me where you’re staying?”

“Do Bears shit in the woods?”

Kiko snorted. “I’m quite happy with the bathroom, personally.”

Chris’s lips twitched. “My phone will be off too. I don’t want any distractions, and I’m sure you’ll understand why.”

“I’ve been mated a long time, but I can still remember the bonding night. Don’t think I’ll ever forget it."

“Just, Chris, don’t leave it off all the time. Check in. Call me, not Mars. I’ll be the go between because we both know you’re right—he’d want her back in the clubhouse. Just go somewhere safe.”

“Her safety is my priority, Kiko. There was nothing I could do to prevent this. They wanted to talk to Mars and thought they needed leverage for someone reason.”

“Real smart way to go about it. Everyone knows Mars is crazy when it comes to Annette, and absolutely fucking insane where Ava is concerned.”

Chris acknowledged that with a sigh. “Yeah.” He eyed his mate, still rocking against the tree. “Ava needs me. I’ll call tomorrow. Bye, VP.”

Before Kiko could reply, he cut the call and strode over to her before his Bear tore him a new one with the desperate need to be by his mate’s side.

Shudders wracked her as she curled up into a ball against the tree. She was covered in blood, from head to toe. Gore was all about her, in great dirty big blobs that dripped down her arms and trailed along her thighs in scarlet snaking motions.

The scent of blood filled her senses, railing the Bear but not enough to bring the Sow out again. Thank the Goddess.

With a shudder, she pressed her forehead to her knees, then sobbed out as flashbacks slid through her mind like a perverse slideshow.

An arm wrapped around her, tugging her close and holding her in place as she sobbed out her sorrow.

“It’s okay.” Chris’s voice. She’d known that anyway. His scent was a soothing smell that drowned out the blood overwhelming her nose. She couldn’t turn into him yet, but she could take comfort from his presence there.

She knew he’d shifted. Knew he’d handled two thirds of the bikers who had remained to attack. Most of which were severely injured. But that there was the difference between a She Bear and a Bear. The Bears were aggressive. Easy to rile, quick to piss off and make them snap into attack. But they kept a cool head during the shift.

She Bears were different. As the trigger to shift was founded on danger, on the fear of attack, when they did change forms, their reaction was brutal.

She knew she’d killed the few men who had come for her.

Knew it because she could scent the death in the air, and she knew Chris, with his age on his side, would have had the control to just attack and maim.

She Bears, no matter their age, never attacked to maim. They went for the kill because that was the only way to insure they were secure.

“You had no choice,” Chris repeated softly. “They shouldn’t have backed us into that corner the way they did.”

“I hate shifting,” she whispered into her thighs.

“I know. It was... You were...”

When his voice broke off, she turned her head to the side to stare at him. “Brutal, wasn’t I? Feral.”

He grimaced. “Feral ain’t the word.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek. When he pulled back, there was blood on his jaw and chin. The sight of it had her closing her eyes. “You were glorious,” he whispered, and her eyes flared wide this time.

“Glorious?” she choked in astonishment. Whatever she’d expected to hear, it hadn’t been that.

“Yeah. Glorious. You’re the momma of my cubs, Ava. What you just showed me was like a match to a bonfire.”

“It was...” Her mouth worked. “I was horrible.”

“You were perfect. They cornered you.”

“I-I k-killed,” she stammered.

“They shouldn’t have attacked. We both know what their intention was, baby. They’d have held me down, dragged you into that van, then done God only knows what to you.”

She shivered. “I know, but that doesn’t make what I did right.”

He shook his head. “You were acting in self-defense.”

“So were you, and you hurt them, yeah. But you didn’t kill.”

Chris sighed. “I’m sorry this, us, had to start this way.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said, her voice shaky. “It’s nobody’s fault save that stupid MC. What the hell did they think they were doing?”

“Trying to get leverage.” He shrugged. “You’re prize property from the outside looking in. The Prez’s only daughter? A valuable commodity.”

“I’m a person,” she breathed, horror leaching into her tone. “I’m not an asset.”

He pulled a face when she reared back from him. “You’re not an asset to me. You’re my mate. You’re my other fucking half, so don’t make out like my words were my truth. They’re just a truth. A nasty one, granted, but let’s face facts—you’re not an idiot, Ava. You know I’m exactly right with what I’m saying.”

She firmed her jaw. “This is insane.”

“You’re telling me. It used to be like this all the time before.” He shook his head. “I’m too old for this shit, and I’m a cub in comparison to some of the brothers who lived during our more ‘notorious’ times.”

She pursed her lips. “I can’t believe this is what life used to be like for The Nomads. How did my mother accept my father when she knew what he was?”

Chris frowned down at her. “Ava, I was exactly like your father. Does your mate bond have prejudice against my past? Or doesn’t it give a fuck?”

“You can’t say that. You’ve done nothing but hold prejudice against me because of my age.”

“That doesn’t make it right. Tit for tat is never the smartest way for any relationship to work, is it?” he chided, clicking his tongue at her. Satisfied when she blushed a little, he said, “If you have a problem with your father’s past, then you have one with mine too. We’re cut from the same cloth, Ava, we just choose to wear it differently now.”

She peered up at him. “Have you killed anyone in human form?”

He clocked a brow. “Does it matter?”

Her bottom lip trembled. “Yes. I just killed three men in my other form and it feels like my soul is stained with it.” She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“Well, you can find comfort in the fact I haven’t killed anyone in human form that wasn’t about to hurt me first. ”

“Self-defense?”

He nodded. “Twice, sadly enough. One in a bar fight. I was trying to break it up and one dick came at me with a knife. I managed to turn it around back on him. Another during a deal that went wrong. Firefight. They were shooting at us, I shot someone down too.”

She sucked in a breath. “Oh my God.”

“It is what it is,” he said sadly. “Not my finest moments, but I never did it for the joy of being a sick fuck and ending someone’s life. I’ll be honest and say I can tell you the exact details of their faces and forms because I still see them as clear as day. The first was over fifty years ago, the second, thirty years ago.” He grimaced. “What happened today was an aberration, and I pray to the Goddesses you’ll never be put into that situation again where your She Bear will have to defend you both, but you did something incredibly brave today, Ava. You might not believe it, you might not believe me, but you did. You protected us both, did your bit in trying to keep us from harm from a bunch of morons who stupidly didn’t do any reconnaissance on us.” He shrugged. “I’m not saying they deserve exactly what they get, but they kind of do.” He squeezed her arm. “Now, we need to get out of here before your father storms over and demands we return to the clubhouse.”

She tensed at his first mention of leaving this place, but commenting on Mars immediately had her jumping to her feet.

His lips twitched at her instant reaction.

She strode over to the bike, and it was only then he saw the sight of her. “Jesus,” he hissed under his breath. She was covered in blood.

He peered down at himself. He wasn’t much better. With a sigh, he moved over to his bike and said, “We need to wait.”

She frowned at him. “But you just said...”

“Yeah, and then I looked at you, then I looked at me. We’re covered in blood, babe.”

“Shit,” she hissed under her breath as she stared down at herself.

He grabbed her arm and tugged her back to the shelter of the trees with one arm, and with his free hand, he reached for his cell and in the same message he shared his location with Kiko, he wrote:

Don’t Tell Mars YET. Bring Extra WATER. We’re Covered In BLOOD. Bring Extra Clothes TOO.

He sent off the text, waited for the notification it had been read, then received a thumbs up emoji for a reply.

“Kiko’s coming with some brothers.”

“He hasn’t told dad?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Good. I still want to go to Houston or wherever you intended on taking me.”

“I know,” he murmured, leaning over to kiss her temple. “We will. We just need to get changed first.”

She grimaced. “How can I argue with that? Look at the state of us.”

He laughed. “I’m pretty proud of you, all considered. You’re freaking out far less than I figured you would.”

“That’s because you constantly underestimate my maturity.”

He laughed again. “Touché.”

Her smile was weak, but she shot him it regardless. If that was the only benefit to come out of today, then she couldn’t say it was worth it, but she could say that it helped ease things for the pair of them.

And that was exactly what they needed.

She was well aware they were in for a period of transition; she just hoped their version of transition didn’t carry on in the same vein as the last thirty minutes.