Lorraine Hogan couldn’t believe she was going to the hospital, yet again, for another of her children. After Levi’s stint with months of fighting, she’d been only too happy to never see the inside of one of these buildings again.

After the shock of Hayes’ brother being alive and her family needing time alone, Lorraine had been delighted to hear from her youngest that morning. When he’d mentioned he needed her at the hospital, she feared the worst. As any mother would.

Once he explained about a young girl needing help, she’d jumped at the chance. Her boys didn’t ask for much help anymore, and now that they were all meeting their special ladies, she was just thrilled. Hopefully, soon, Lennox and Sophia would be giving her grandbabies with the way her oldest son looked at his sweet fiancée.

She was positively delighted with the women her sons had chosen for themselves. Even after a rocky start with Hayes during their first meeting. She’d been so distressed about that and couldn’t apologize enough. Thankfully, the young woman was understanding, and they’d grown close.

Parking in the hospital lot, Lorraine went in search of Lochlan and his friend. Finding the room, she knocked lightly on the door, careful not to disturb Sage in case she was sleeping. Pushing through, she was surprised at the sight.

Lochlan lay on a bed on his side with a young woman beside him situated on her stomach. Her back was completely exposed. Covered in bandages, cuts, and bruises. Everything a girl should never have been exposed to.

Walking closer to the couple, she saw them facing each other, utterly lost in their own world. Satisfaction rolled through Lorraine as she watched her youngest gently soothe the girl at his side. Their light whispers were oddly touching to watch.

“Lochlan?” she called softly.

The girl still startled as she tried to move too quickly and cover up.

“Shit.” Loch gripped the girl’s hip to keep her from moving. “Just my mom, Sage. Stay still.” The care and concern in her son’s voice made Lorraine incredibly proud.

* * *

Loch had been so absorbed in the blue hues of Sage’s gaze that he hadn’t heard his mother enter the room. When she startled the girl in his arms, he’d been furious, at first. Until he saw the caring look in her eyes.

“Ma”—he waved her over—“this is Sage. Sage, this is my mother, Lorraine.” He smiled at the two women.

“It’s a pleasure to you meet you, Sage.” Lorraine beamed at the younger woman, placing a supportive hand on her arm.

“I’m sorry you have to see me like this.” Sage ducked her head, embarrassment tinging her cheeks.

“Hey, now”—Loch forced her chin up with a finger—“nothing for you to be ashamed of.”

“No, dear. Please don’t be shy with me.” He knew his mother would be the perfect woman to help Sage out of her shell.

“I’d like to sit up, please.” Sage’s quiet request was only loud enough for him to hear.

Untangling their arms, Loch got up, pulling the sheet off her body so she could move freely. Her wincing as she turned to her side made him want to hunt her father down and beat him to a pulp.

Her hands hung onto his forearm tightly, so he was able to use the other hand to keep her steady at the shoulder. Once settled upright, he could tell, immediately, that she’d become dizzy and he moved forward, letting her rest her head against his chest. One of his hands cradled her head to him while the other remained on her shoulder. Sage released a satisfied sigh. Whether from his touch or moving, Loch didn’t know and didn’t care. She was in his arms, content and safe. Nothing else mattered right then.

“When’s the last time you ate?” his mother asked Sage.

He brought her juice and a muffin but had forgotten about it when he’d seen the state she was in. To his knowledge, nothing else had been brought in before then.

“Oh?” She sounded surprised by the thought of food. “Wednesday, I suppose. I had breakfast, but then things happened, and I just wasn’t up to it.”

“That was five days ago.” His horrified words couldn’t be masked.

Meeting his mother’s stare, he saw the same shock and overwhelming sadness reflected back at him. Tears hinged on the edge of her eyelids. Lochlan knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he couldn’t let her go back home.

“Why don’t you lay down and rest some more, Sage? I’m going to go home and make you some hearty soup and perhaps some cinnamon rolls for when you can handle something a bit heavier.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hogan.” Sage’s voice sounded just as tired as she looked.

“Please, call me Lorraine. Lochlan, help her settle then meet me outside for a quick second.”

“Sure, Ma.”

As soon as she was gone, Sage held his hand tightly. “She seems wonderful.”

“She’s the best.” He couldn’t disagree with her. For as long as Loch could remember, his mom had been the rock in their family. Nothing shook her for long.

“She really makes soup?”

He laughed at her question. “She does.”

“My mother can’t cook worth dirt. We’ve always been forced to eat it, though.”

“Cross my heart, Ma is the best.”

“Okay.” She was tired. The word barely made it out before her eyes were closed and she was sleeping.

Not wanting to be away from his angel any longer than necessary, he hurried out the door to see his mother waiting by the nurses’ station. “Oh, Lochlan, what happened to that poor girl?” She had tissues in her hands to stem her tears.

“You know that compound out by Adna?” She nodded. “That’s where she’s from. Her father is the bishop and runs the place with an iron fist.”

“How’d you meet her then?”

“About eight months ago, she came into the shop with her mother. Haven’t been able to get her out of my mind.”

“Then why was she still there?” Oh, she sounded pissed.

“She’s seventeen, Ma.”

That took the wind from her sails. “What is it with you boys? First Lennox with Sophia’s tender age…I guess that was my doing, though. Then Levi with Hayes still in high school. At least, she was eighteen. Now you! With an underage girl, Lochlan!”

“Never held her in my arms until last night, Ma. Barely spoke more than a word to her before that. I knew she was underage so don’t go giving me shit.” He couldn’t deal with being admonished right now. He needed Sage to get better.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. So, what’s the plan? When is she eighteen?”

“Not a damn clue,” he mumbled, forgetting when Sage’s sibling had told him.

“Three days,” was whispered from behind the counter. Looking over, he saw Kirsten sitting there. “You didn’t hear that from me, though.”

Nodding her head, his mother asked him, “How long until she’s ready to be discharged do you think?”

Coughing, followed by, “at least a week,” was the only answer they needed.

“She’ll be staying with me,” Lorraine commented. When he tried to protest, even though that had been his original idea, she continued on. “Sage needs time, Lochlan. If you’re anything like your brothers, you’ll steamroll right on over her.” He couldn’t argue with that.

“Fine. But I need to figure out how to keep them from getting to her. From making her go home.”

“Don’t fret, son, we’ll figure something out. Now scoot back in there before she thinks you aren’t coming back. I’ll be by in a few hours with some things for you both.”

Leaning down to kiss her cheek, he told her, “Thanks, Ma, knew I could count on you,” as she left.

Loch stood in the corridor watching as patients wandered, families visited, and employees attended to their duties. He felt lost. Worried about Sage, about how or if she would come out of everything she’d endured and be able to have a relationship with him. Or even want to.

The first time he saw her, Loch had been enthralled by not only her innocence and soft features but with the indescribable aura she exuded. She had hypnotized him with her angelic features, and he’d been hooked ever since.

The way she’d watched every move he made. Inquisitive, trusting, attracted. He’d known then she was someone he was going to get to know; she was going to be an incredibly important part of his life.

Until finding her half dead, he hadn’t known just how important.

* * *

Sleep didn’t come easily to Sage as Lochlan left the room. She didn’t want to come off as some needy girl clinging to him and becoming a burden, even though all she wanted was him. He soothed her terrified mind in ways nothing else could.

When he re-entered the room on the verge of her meltdown, instant relief flooded her body as her senses picked up his presence. The world floated away like melting ice, and all she saw was Lochlan. Even as the nurses redressed her wounds.

It was only him.

Lochlan was all her mind could register.

After the nurses left, he laid down with her, careful of her injuries and mindful of her ever-present need for him in her space. For hours, they hadn’t moved. They whispered silly hymns back and forth, and he told her funny but loving stories about his brothers. His mother and father’s love had been so strong that she felt it in the intensity of his words and gaze.

Theirs was a love Sage longed for, and if she were right, so did Lochlan. After meeting his mother, jealousy had gripped her down to her bones. Not because of his love and respect for the woman, but because she was the mother she had always longed for. Kind, caring, considerate. All things her own mother wasn’t.

Even before things turned bad, Alma had never behaved warmly towards any of her children. Sage wasn’t sure if it stemmed from how they were raised, or more recently, as she had been married off at fifteen when it was clearly illegal.

Confusion swirled in her mind bringing forth a headache that was nearly blinding. Her entire body suffered from the effects of that specific ailment.

Gently turning onto her side, she reached blindly for the call button she was told would bring forth a nurse within minutes. After pushing it, the buzzing noise it produced provoked ringing in her ears and bile climbing her throat. So much pain from a headache couldn’t possibly be normal.

Noise could be heard in the distance as the door was opened and people filed into her room. “Sage?” Someone called her name, eliciting the feel of tiny needles poking her brain and causing excruciating pain throughout her entire skull.

“Oh God,” she moaned, “what’s happening to me?” Her body began to shiver, and her muscles felt like lead. Immobile, Sage couldn’t recognize anything being said to her. “Make it stop. Please, Lord, I’m sorry.” Even though her faith was shaken, she still believed in Him. “Please, I’ll be good. I promise.” Her vow was followed by violent shaking in every cell in her body.

Seizing muscles strained her small form into a bow raising her off the bed and shouting could be heard above the buzzing in her ears as a burst of white light filled with warmth and acceptance stole her vision.

As muscles relaxed one by one, the pain sailed from her as if it had never been. The buzzing and blurred vision remained as her consciousness set her free of the pain flowing through every fiber of her being and she was open to float asunder.