Chapter 29 #3

“Crystal,” I say, unwilling to keep the slight mockery from my tone. It’s cute that he thinks he could do anything but cut me a check to protect his ass.

“Excellent.” His tone suggests anything but. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine then.”

This is Clover’s family. And I’m starting to understand that bringing her here wasn’t just for her physical safety, it was for her emotional well-being too.

“So,” Savvy says once everyone’s settled, eating, and the chatter is down to murmurs. “Let’s address the elephant in the room. You’re all here because someone’s after Clover.”

Clover’s hand freezes with her fork halfway to her mouth.

“Savvy,” Elle says gently. “Maybe we should⁠—”

“No, it’s okay.” Clover sets down her fork, then pinches the material of her jeans with her thumb and forefinger. “You all deserve to know what you’re getting into by letting us stay here.”

“Letting you?” Madi’s voice is sharp—it doesn’t suit her. “Clover, this is your home. You don’t need permission to be here.”

“But I’m bringing danger⁠—”

“That we’ll deal with,” Braxton says simply as he shifts his baby higher on his chest as though he’s already protecting him. Clover’s body stiffens, telling me she saw it too. “We’ll handle it together, Clover. That’s what family does.”

Clover turns to me, and I nod even as her distress seeps into my skin.

I hold her hand as she tells them the tale—because that’s exactly what it sounds like, fiction.

By the time she’s done, Madi’s crying again but calms when Braxton places the baby in her arms. Elle’s gone pale, and Savvy looks like she’s contemplating murder but can’t decide if I’m her target or if she’s aiming for the woman who calls herself my mother.

“That bitch,” Savvy hisses.

“Savannah,” Elle gasps.

“What? She’s stalking our Clover. She tried to kill her, for fuck’s sake. She’s a bitch, and I stand by my assessment.”

“I like her.” Chase points his knife toward Savvy with a smile that’s sure to get him in trouble sooner rather than later, and Greyson fires back with a death glare that has my cousin chuckling like an asshole.

“When she comes here,” Clover says quietly, silencing the room. “And she will come. I need you all to promise me that you’ll stay away from her, stay out of the way, and let Valen and Roman’s teams handle it.”

“I’m not making that promise,” Savvy blurts.

“Savvy—”

“No, I mean it. To an extent, yes, we will take all necessary precautions, but if you think we’re going to just hide while someone threatens you? I mean, come on, Clover. Did you hit your head? There’s not a chance we’ll sit on our hands if there’s something we can do.”

“And you have law enforcement involved?” Greyson asks pointedly.

“We have a contact with the FBI we’re working with,” Grant says.

“They’re actively involved in the investigation?” Greyson pushes.

I bite my tongue.

“They know what we can tell them so far,” Sterling says. “We have reason to believe there’s…video evidence that would be…harmful if released. A video that Terra controls.”

“Harmful to whom?” Greyson growls.

“Me. Clover. My cousins. We don’t fucking know yet. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take until we know more. Are you?” I throw at him.

Greyson’s gaze jumps from me to Clover, and he slowly shakes his head. “You know it’s not.”

“If it was just about me, I would do things differently,” I say, softening my tone. “It’s not a risk I’ll take when it comes to Clover, so until Grant has more information, we work as a team to contain Terra.”

Greyson nods, but his glare could melt glaciers.

“I’ve got a shotgun,” Pops offers. “Old, but mighty and scary as hell.”

“Pops,” Madi groans. “That thing would probably backfire.”

“It’ll do the trick if push comes to shove,” Chief says, defending his friend, and I can see how easily this conversation could spiral. “But we’ve got local and federal authorities on speed dial too.”

“We have plans and contingency plans in place,” Roman says, and I offer him a grateful nod. The last thing I need is a town full of armed septuagenarians protecting my woman’s honor.

“Well,” Elle says firmly. “We have our own plans in place too. I set up an emergency text tree specifically for Clover. If any strangers wander through our town, we’ll know within minutes.”

“A text tree?” Grant’s amused despite himself. He doesn’t find humor in much these days.

“Welcome to Happiness,” Clover says, now flashing her radiant smile. A fist releases its hold on my heart at the sight. “Where everybody knows your business before you do.”

“That’s a great idea for the welcome sign,” Pops shouts.

I’m not sure he has another volume setting.

“Yup, you should enter it into the running,” Chief agrees.

“This town’s amazing.” Chase laughs.

“It is,” Savvy agrees. “But it’s also the safest place you could be because everyone’s watching your business.” She grins, and it’s unsettling. I wouldn’t want to be the one to cross her.

Glancing around the table—at Clover’s friends who became her family, at my cousins and even Chief, who’s somehow become mine too, at the fierce protectiveness radiating from every determined gaze—I believe her.

There’s no safer place to be than Happiness.