Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

Knox

The nervous energy is almost palpable from the passenger’s seat.

Same as the excitement flowing forward from the back of the car, Evie all but bouncing in her booster seat, Winter picking up on that feeling and eagerly staring out the car windows as we wind our way up to Lake’s cabin.

Okay, it’s less cabin and more expensive, luxury log home.

But the man came from money and models in his spare time—the face of watch brands and underwear alike. He’s in another level of income than me, and I make good money as an established and successful player in the league.

“Woof!”

I glance at the back seat, see that Winter has recognized the house.

She and Steve have only met twice, and the interactions were watched closely—because she’s still sporting her cast for a few more weeks—but the troublesome pup clearly made an impression on her.

I just hope her adoration doesn’t turn into copying his behavior.

I don’t need a demon dog on my hands.

Ivy exhales and I don’t miss that it’s shaky. Nervous, more so maybe than this afternoon’s meeting. She shared what Damon said, what Joey said, what that asshole from the legal department said, and, more importantly, what she said.

And I’m so fucking proud of her.

But right now, I also want to throttle her.

She faced all of that—faced all the shit in her life—and she’s scared of some snacks, cocktails, and getting into an argument over Ticket to Ride .

I shove that down as I park in front of Lake’s place, but when she goes to hop out of the car, I snag her wrist, turn her to face me, and cup her jaw.

“Lioness,” I say quietly.

“I’m fine,” she says before I can go on.

“Yes, you are.”

“I’ve been to Game Night before.”

“Yes, you have.”

But she hasn’t been as mine.

“I’m fine,” she says again.

My lips twitch and I lean over the console, kissing her, probably far more deeply than I should, considering that Evie’s in the back seat, gathering up her stuff.

“Breathe,” I whisper as I pull back. “And maybe consider that this is a chance to build that family you’ve always wanted.”

“Woof!”

Evie pops her door and starts to get out. “Let’s go, Mom!” A beat. “And Knox!”

I brush my lips over Ivy’s one more time then rest my forehead against hers for a moment. “Let’s go kick some ass in Uno.”

Finally, she relaxes enough to smile back at me. “I hope you’re prepared to be skipped at least three times.”

“Not four?”

“If the card gods allow me such a blessing then be prepared.”

Grinning, I unbuckle and go to free Winter from her jail in the back seat then take Ivy’s hand when we catch up with Evie, who’s almost at the front door.

It swings open before we can knock, Nova appearing in the opening with a copper mug in one hand, the demon dog known as Steve tucked under her other arm, and a welcoming smile on her face.

But, just as quickly, she’s pushed out of the way by Ella who holds up a hairbrush and a bottle of glitter spray. “Who’s ready for a hair party?”

Evie squeals and runs inside.

Ivy takes the proffered mug, allows Nova to loop her now free arm through hers and draw her into the house.

Lake steps into the now vacant door, mouth quirking. “Beer or mule?”

I’m driving my girls so?—

“Beer,” I say as I step inside and put Winter down so she can say her proper hellos. By the time I’m done supervising her and Steve’s reintroduction and accept the beer from Lake, I look up?—

And the last bit of worry I was holding on to disappears.

Ella’s braiding hair, Nova’s dealing cards, and Jolie and Ivy bend over to scratch the pups when the meander their way over. Storm is concocting something in the kitchen, having putting Riggs and Leo to work by chopping vegetables, if the knives and looks of extreme concentration are any indication.

God help us if anyone loses a finger.

“You okay?” Lake mutters.

I turn to him as I sip my beer. “Me?” I ask. “Or her?”

Ivy’s wearing a turtleneck and I know it’s part defense mechanism, part to cover the bruises so Evie doesn’t look at them too closely.

She noticed them, of course she did, and while she accepted the vague answer that Ivy gave her, I know there will be more questions forthcoming.

The bruises are too obvious and Evie’s too smart—emotionally and otherwise—and she cares about her mom too much to let that go forever.

“You,” he says. “ And her.”

“I’m…” I sigh. “Not okay, exactly, because how can I possibly be after that happened to her?”

He nods.

“But she’s safe and Hiller’s gone now and…” I sigh. “In some ways it helped cut through the bullshit. I’m not going away, she’s accepted that, and we talked last night and this morning, hashed some things out.”

“I’m glad.” He drops his voice. “I saw the release the team put out about Hiller in the media, and my agent asked me to prepare a statement just in case. Is that—” He cuts his gaze to the side. “Did that go okay?”

I shrug. “As well as can be expected. She had a meeting with Damon, Joey, and the legal team this afternoon.” I fill him in on the details that Ivy shared with me. “Any other woman and I swear they’d be falling apart, but Ivy”—I shake my head—“she’s rallied, is determined to keep working with the team, and swear to fuck was more scared about Game Night than the potential of facing Hiller again.”

Because she’s been through this before.

Because the look in her eyes last night tells me that she’s been through worse.

“She’s been to my place before,” Lake says, his brows dragging together. “Did something happen?—?”

“No. It’s just that—” I trace my finger through the condensation on the outside of the bottle and sigh. “She’s been through a lot, man. And she doesn’t trust that she’s not going to go through more, that she and Evie are not going to end up alone again.”

Lake’s silent for long enough that I glance back over at him.

And one look at his face soothes some of the edges of anger in me.

He’s ready to commit murder on Ivy’s behalf, and my woman needs more of that energy in her life.

“We’ll make sure she knows that’s not going to happen,” he mutters.

Laughter echoes through the room and we both look toward the source of it—the women and Evie.

And I have total faith in him.

In them.

In the family I’ve made.

And the family that’s going to become Ivy and Evie’s too.