Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(15)

“Always. You know that.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind me staying in your casita tonight?”

“Listen, Lila, the place is yours for as long as you’re home. If you don’t want to stay here over the next few months, you’ll have to stay with Trav and Shay.” I pulled my hand away from her hair and stepped back. I needed to put some space between us. I couldn’t think straight when she was looking at me like that. All sweet and sexy. “You know Travis isn’t going to be okay with you staying at your dad’s now. And I don’t disagree after what I just witnessed.”

“I can take care of myself,” she said, squaring her shoulders and pulling the ice away from her face.

“That’s not the issue. No one doubts that you’re a strong woman, but you shouldn’t have to take care of yourself when you’re at home. You should feel safe, and there is no fucking way that place is safe for you when your father is drinking or drugging or whatever the hell he’s doing.”

Her face hardened. “It was a slip.”

“Come on, Snow. You’re smarter than that. I haven’t seen him sober in years. Why do you think Travis tried so hard to keep you away?”

Her dark brown eyes welled with tears, and my chest squeezed, causing me to step forward. Closer.

“That’s because he doesn’t have anyone to help him. Travis is too angry. That’s why I’m here.” She shrugged as two tears streaked down her pretty face. One moved over the large bump, which had now turned a dark shade of purple on her cheek. I leaned forward and gently swiped them both away.

“You can’t fix someone who doesn’t want to be fixed.”

“He does, Bear. I know he does.” Her words broke on a sob, and I moved closer, wanting to pull her into my arms, but she set the ice on the island and held up both hands. “Think about the way your family was tonight. Is it so wrong that I want that for my family? That I want Travis to stop hating our father, and I want Dad to care enough about his life to take care of himself? Why is it so bad to want that?”

Her shoulders quaked, and the tears started falling down her cheeks, and I couldn’t stop myself. I rushed her, pulling her into my arms and wrapping her up.

“It’s not wrong. I understand why you want that. You’re good and strong and kind, Lila. And your father is lucky to have you. But you need to protect yourself while you’re here, all right?”

Her head tipped back, and she looked up at me. Dark brown eyes wet with emotion and pain. “You’re not going to tell me he’s not worth my time like everyone else does?”

“Not if you agree to stay here and be cautious. But we have to tell Travis what happened, because when he finds out, he’ll be pissed we kept it from him.”

“All right.” She nodded. “We can tell him if you promise to support me. I just need someone on my side, you know?”

I wrapped my arms back around her and kissed the top of her head. “You’ve got me, Snow.”

We stood in the kitchen, me holding her for what felt like hours.

And I was in no hurry to let her go.





Lila and I had eventually called Travis and told him her version of what happened, leaving out some of the details. I’d told him she would stay with me, and that was the only thing that kept him from coming over here and dragging her to his place. He’d been enraged that his sister had been knocked down. She’d failed to mention that she’d also been hit in the face, but I didn’t throw her under the bus because she’d looked at me with those pleading eyes, so I’d let it go. For now.

I’d knocked the shit out of the asshole who’d hurt her, and I’d threatened both Bradley and Tate to stay the fuck away from her when Lila was in her room packing. I knew Travis would be coming to the restaurant to see her, and he wouldn’t miss the swollen bruise on her cheek, but at least he’d be calmer by today.

The casita had a door to the interior of my house, as well as its own entrance on the outside. It was basically a bedroom en suite with its own bathroom and walk-in closet. The exterior door just offered a bit more privacy if someone wanted to come and go without entering the house. I’d told her to come on over in the morning and help herself to breakfast as we’d be sharing my kitchen. What I hadn’t expected was to see Lila in a pair of tiny running shorts and a tank top, standing in my kitchen looking like a fucking goddess. Her tan legs were on full display, feminine muscles running down her thighs as I took her in from behind like a fucking creeper. Her ass was small and round—perfectly peach shaped, and her arms were slim with just enough muscle to make it obvious she was fit. Her body was a work of art. No doubt about it.

I cleared my throat to let her know I was there before I spent another second checking her out.

She whipped her head over her shoulder and smiled. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair pulled away from her makeup free face, and a dark, long ponytail ran down her back. Her cheek was still swollen and discolored, but somehow, it looked sexy as hell on her this morning.

“Hey, I hope it’s okay I took you up on breakfast. I just went for a run, and I was starving, so I thought I’d make us both some bacon and eggs.” Her gaze scanned my body, moving slowly down my chest and stomach, and her eyes widened, which caused me to look down to see what she was gaping at.