Within twenty minutes, the house was swarming with police, paramedics, and one fire engine with a crew.
Grace sat inside one of the ambulances while the medics cleaned up a cut on her arm and poked around to determine if she needed to go to the hospital.
Dameon and Max both stood beside the officer who had arrived first and was writing everything down.
Sokolov and his thug were both en route to the local hospital, in handcuffs.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle, and a little bit of fading sunlight started to peek through.
“Hey.” Miah, one of the police officers that she knew, looked inside the ambulance. “How are you feeling?”
She lifted her bandaged arm. “Not bad, considering.”
The paramedic frowned. “She doesn’t want to go to the ER. That ankle looks nasty.”
Grace wiggled her toes, pretended it didn’t hurt. “It’s fine.”
Miah laughed. “The zip ties were a nice touch.”
She found herself smiling. “I did learn a few things being a cop’s daughter.”
“Your pop is on his way.”
“Along with everyone else, I’m sure.”
Miah looked at the medic. “You don’t have to push her to go to the hospital. Her family will do it for you.”
Grace frowned. “Isn’t there some work for you to do out there?” she teased, shocked she had it in her to give him a hard time.
Miah lifted his hands and walked away.
She turned to the medic. “I’m really fine. If it gets worse, I’ll go in without the lights and sirens.”
“I know Matt. He’s gonna make my life hell if you’re lying.”
“Damn right I will.”
Grace looked up as Matt swung into the back of the ambulance. He hugged her first, then pulled back to look at her. “Geez, Gracie. Can’t stay out of the spotlight for one minute, can you?”
“What can I tell you?”
Matt hugged her tight a second time.
“Is Dad here yet?” she asked next to his ear.
“No, they were five minutes behind me.”
“Okay, help me out of here. I don’t want them freaking out.”
Matt glared.
She pushed him. “Move your butt.”
“Just go to the ER.”
“Where they just took the guys who did all this? I really don’t want to have to bail any of the men in my life out of jail for vigilantism.”
Matt blinked . . . twice. “Good point.”
“Thank you, now help me down.”
Matt made it three steps as she attempted to walk before he gave up and picked her up.
“What the . . .”
“Shut up, Gracie.”
Dameon saw them coming and walked toward them. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t. I need to ice, elevate, and compress . . . and a couple shots of whiskey.”
“She’s stubborn.” Matt nodded toward the house. “Can we go inside?”
“They are swarming in there.”
“Prop me up in the garage,” Grace told him. “Before Dad gets here.”
And on that request, Dameon retrieved a couple of dining chairs that survived the brawl and set them inside the garage so she could elevate her ankle.
Slowly her family started to arrive.
Parker and Colin gushed and hugged and told her she looked like hell.
Erin held her hand and clung to Matt.
But it was when her dad showed up that everything got real.
“Where’s my baby girl?” she heard before seeing him.
The crowd that surrounded her separated.
Dameon stood beside her, holding her hand.
Her dad marched in a way dads do, straight to her side.
He knelt down, knees popping as he did. There were unshed tears in her father’s eyes. Seeing them broke Grace’s armor.
Her dad didn’t cry.
It just wasn’t in him.
He pulled her in so tight she had a hard time breathing. “I’m okay, Daddy.”
“I’m gonna kill him.”
“No, you’re not.”
He hugged harder.
“Oh, baby.”
She gave her dad as much time as he needed. Her eyes looked up to Dameon.
“Dameon stopped him, Daddy. I swear I’m okay. Just a few bruises.”
Her dad pulled away and looked up.
She knew he noticed what everyone else did. Dameon had a pretty decent bruise on his lip. His knuckles were caked with drying blood, and his clothes looked like he’d been in a barroom brawl. Which he had been . . . minus the liquor.
Max stood across the garage, looking just as banged up.
Emmitt pointed at Dameon. “You and I will talk later.”
Grace tried not to smile at the fierceness in her dad’s voice.
“Anytime, sir.”
He seemed to like the title and stood tall. “Who is the lead on this?” he asked as he walked toward the uniformed police officers standing in the front yard.
Grace turned to hug her mother, who had a much gentler touch. “You okay?”
“My ankle is killing me,” she admitted. “I’ll have Dameon take me to the urgent care. We can’t have dad in the ER with the guys who did this.”
Nora nodded several times. “Oh, no . . . we can’t have that.”
“Thanks.”
Her mom reached out a hand and touched her face. “Did you aim for the balls?”
More than one person listening laughed.
“Neither one of them is going to want to pee for a while,” Grace happily reported.
Nora winked. “That’s my girl.”
Her mom stood and reached out and touched Dameon’s arm. “Thank you.”
Grace’s ankle was sprained, not broken.
Dameon left her in her parents’ living room with all the women doting on her. Between the painkillers the clinic doctor gave her and the wine she wasn’t supposed to be mixing them with, she was fairly relaxed.
The same couldn’t be said for the men in the house.
Dameon, Colin, Matt, and Emmitt were all in the Hudson garage where someone had unearthed a punching bag and hung it from a rafter.
Colin, Matt, and Emmitt all took turns punching the thing.
Dameon looked at the state of his fists and sat out on this display of testosterone.
Matt hit the bag hard. “I’m starting to understand why men used to lock their women away in ivory towers.”
“There’s no way Parker would stand for that,” Colin said.
“Grace would burn the room around her to escape,” Dameon added.
“It’s our job to teach them how to defend themselves. You need to remember that.” Emmitt pointed to Matt.
Matt stopped hitting the bag and looked at his dad. “Why are you picking on me?”
“Really, son?”
“What?”
“Do I need to spell it out for you?” Emmitt patted his spare tire.
Matt’s expression sobered. “Oh . . .”
Dameon drank from the longneck bottle in his hand. “You did a good job teaching Grace, Mr. Hudson. Those guys were hurting before Max and I showed up.”
Colin smiled at him. “She had to keep up with us growing up.”
Dameon didn’t share the part about her being on her back on the floor as she kicked around like a rabid dog. The image wouldn’t leave his brain anytime soon. The last thing he wanted was those thoughts plaguing anyone else.
Colin must have seen the shift in Dameon’s mood. He walked over and sat beside him. “I’m glad you were there.”
“Me too.”
Matt pushed the punching bag his way. “Want a swing at this thing?”
Dameon looked at his hands. “I had the satisfaction of the real thing.”
“Lucky you,” Emmitt said. He took the gloves from his son and punched the bag.
Colin lifted his empty bottle. “Anyone want another?”<
br />
Dameon looked up, shook his head.
“Dad?”
Emmitt stood from where he was perched. “Why don’t you go inside? I want a word with Dameon.”
Matt and Colin exchanged glances.
Once they left, Dameon swallowed . . . hard.
Emmitt sat silent for what felt like forever.
Dameon spoke first. “I wanted to kill him.” He lifted his hands in front of him as if he was grabbing the bastard by the neck. “I never really understood newscasts that talked about blind rage driving a person to extremes. But I get it now.”
Emmitt sighed. “When my sons were born, I realized what loving someone unconditionally meant. I knew I could teach them to defend themselves no matter what. But when Gracie came along . . . I was at a loss. Here’s this little tiny girl with all the fragile parts girls have . . .” He lifted his hands as if he were holding an infant. “I was scared. I’d seen a lot of this big bad world and what happens when it chews you up and spits you out. So I did what any cop would. I raised her like I did my sons.”
Dameon smiled at the image he found himself seeing through Emmitt’s eyes.
“Oh, Nora did the girlie stuff. Makeup and those stupid shoes she insists on wearing. But Gracie was tough. She always fought back. Then last year, after that unfortunate incident with Erin’s ex, I watched the fight in Gracie fade.”
Emmitt met Dameon’s eyes. “Then you came along. And I feel I got my girl back.”
“I’d love to take credit, but that’s all her.”
Emmitt shook his head. “Nope. Not completely. You gave her her confidence back. And I want you to know I appreciate it.”
Dameon felt his chest fill with pride. “Thank you, sir.”
Emmitt nodded. “Your dad would have been proud.”
Oh, damn.
Dameon’s eyes swelled with tears. He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Emmitt stood and reached for Dameon’s hand. Instead of a handshake, the older man pulled him in for a hug. “Thanks for protecting my little girl.”
Don’t cry.
Don’t cry.
Aww, fuck.
They both pulled away and wiped at their eyes as they attempted to look in the other direction.
“I’ll let you, ah . . . have a minute,” Emmitt said as he started to walk away.
Dameon stopped him. “Sir?”
Emmitt turned and faced him.
“I have a question for you before you go.”
Grace’s dad walked in from the garage first, his eyes a little watery, his nose a little red.
Her brothers were both sitting on the edge of the fireplace hearth drinking beer. Parker sat on one side of her, Erin on the other. Her aching ankle was propped up on pillows on the coffee table.
Her mom popped up from her chair and went to her husband.
“Hey, Dad?” Grace called from the couch.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’m okay.”
Emmitt waved a hand in the air. “Don’t mind me. There’s pollen in the air.”
Her dad and mom walked up the stairs together.
“Can someone go check on Dameon?” Grace asked.
Matt started to stand when the door to the garage opened.
Parker moved to the chair Nora had just vacated, leaving room beside Grace for Dameon to sit.
He looked about as choked up as her dad.
“You okay?”
His arms wrapped around her shoulders. “I will be in three or four years.” He leaned over and kissed her gently.
Matt slapped his hands on his knees. “Okay, let’s talk about something pleasant. Erin and I are going to elope.”
Grace stopped staring at Dameon to snap her eyes to her brother.
“No way,” Parker said.
“Is this because of the baby?” Grace asked.
Matt elbowed his brother. “Did you tell them?”
Erin laughed.
“Oh, please. Like we couldn’t figure it out on our own,” Parker said.
“You can’t elope. Mom and Dad will kill you.”
“Okay, not elope, per se, but we’re thinking a long weekend in Maui. Get everyone on a plane sometime in the next month.” Erin tapped her stomach. “Before it becomes obvious.”
“Nobody is going to care if you get married while you’re pregnant.”
Matt cleared his throat. “No way. Remember what Dad always says. The first baby comes anytime . . . the second one takes nine months.”
Grace laughed until it started to hurt.
An hour later, Dameon had carried her to her parents’ guest room, the room that was once hers, and closed the door behind them.
Grace leaned back against the headboard. “I think I could sleep for a week.”
“You didn’t drink a lot of that wine, did you? The doctor said—”
“One glass, and I’m pretty sure my mom watered it down like I was twelve.”
Dameon smiled. “I like your mom.”
“Was everything okay with you and my dad?”
He slid one shoe off at a time. “I think I might be growing on him.”
“You sure? You were both pretty worked up when you came in.”
“Nawh. I think there’s some solvents open in the garage.”
Grace shook her head. “Yeah, and pollen flies around when it’s raining.”
Dameon slid back against the headboard with her. “Your dad and I are good. He just wanted to talk a little longer. He’s a good man.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m so glad you came when you did.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Oh, honey. I am, too. When I think about what could have happened.”
“Yeah, but it didn’t. And Max . . . what the heck was up with that?”
“We didn’t get much of a chance to talk. He told me his dad is sick and the fiancée ditched him.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. He was out looking at the jobsite and feeling guilty.”
She sighed and felt her eyelids get heavy. “Sometimes bad things remind you of the good things.”
“You can say that again.”
Maybe it was the narcotics, or the watered-down wine . . . “Sometimes bad things remind you of the good things.”
Dameon’s chest rumbled with laughter under her ear. “God, I love you.”
It took a second, but her eyes opened as his words sunk in.
She lifted her head from his chest. “W-what?”
“I. Love. You.” He placed his palm on her cheek. “One hundred percent head over heels.”
“Dameon . . .”
“Sometimes you just know. And that’s where I’m at. If you’re not there yet, it’s okay—”
She shook her head. “Oh, no . . . I’m there. Which is dumb because we haven’t known each other very—”
He didn’t let her finish before kissing her.
Grace pulled away. “I love you, too.”
“C’mere.” And he kissed her again.
EPILOGUE
The soft water of the lagoon lapped in the background of the perfect wedding.
Erin’s sister had stood at her side while Colin took his place by Matt.
There were only thirteen people total in the lot of them, two of which were Erin’s niece and nephew. Everyone was barefoot and wearing white.
And it was beautiful.
Grace cried when her brother vowed to love, honor, and cherish, and completely lost it when Erin started with the waterworks.
The informal reception was brought together with locals playing simple instruments and singing Hawaiian songs.
“Your aunt Beth is going to throw a fit when she learns that we all ran off without inviting her,” Nora reminded them all as they sat around a huge table that was overflowing with food, flowers, and champagne.
Grace turned to Dameon.
The sun had kissed their skin in the few days they’d been on the island. His casual white-on-white silk Hawaiian shir
t and casual slacks made him even better looking than when he was dressed in a power suit.
“I haven’t met her yet, right?”
Grace shook her head. “No, but in a way, she’s responsible for the night we met.”
Dameon looked confused.
“She was harping on my state of singlehood at Colin and Parker’s wedding when I needed that cold walk in the hotel garden.”
Dameon slowly started to nod and smile. “I always liked your Aunt Beth,” he teased.
“You say that now,” Parker said. “Wait until she starts harping about Grace’s empty uterus.”
There was laughter all around.
“I’m off the hook there,” Erin said.
Matt leaned over and kissed his new wife.
“By my calculations, this baby is coming around Christmas, right?” Emmitt said.
“Sure, Dad. Or Halloween, give or take a few weeks.” Matt held Erin’s hand as if he was afraid to let go.
Colin stood and picked up his glass. “Okay . . . it’s time for the sappy best man speech. Which I’ve been practicing for at least three hours.”
Dameon pulled Grace close.
“I always knew that Matt was going to marry a knockout.”
Erin blushed.
“I mean, c’mon. He dated all the pretty girls in school. Women followed him around in the supermarket when he was dressed in his hero uniform . . .”
“Hey now . . . ,” Matt called out.
“So you being beautiful was a given. But what wasn’t a given was this kind, loving, missing piece of Matt’s life . . . all our lives.”
Grace sucked in a sniffle.
“I knew when I met Parker, she was it. I remember the day I told Matt I was going to marry her that he already knew I was all in. And the night Matt pulled Dameon and me outside in the freezing cold to tell us he was going to propose . . . I was like, Hell ya! I couldn’t ask for a better sister-in-law, right, Gracie?”
Grace lifted her glass.
“I know I speak for all of us when I say, welcome to the Hudson family, Erin. And thank you for loving my brother the way you do.”
A round of cheers and sips of champagne was followed by hugs and more tears.
A while later, Parker and Grace sat to the side while Dameon, Colin, and Matt had some kind of man huddle that included some sort of Hawaiian shots. Erin was talking with her sister, Helen, and her dad. And Grace’s mom and dad were entertaining Helen’s kids.
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