Page 117 of Sinfully Yours

I glance down at Andrew, who's still on his knees, his shoulders shaking with the weight of whatever regret has finally caught up to him.

"A lot," I say simply.

Tyler mutters a curse, the clacking of his keyboard faint in the background. "Alright. I've already got them on standby. They'll be there in five."

"Good." I end the call and slide my phone back into my pocket, exhaling slowly.

Ava pulls away slightly, just enough to look up at me. Her eyes are still wide, her breaths shallow, but she's here. She's safe.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my voice quieter now.

She nods once, then swallows hard. "Yeah. I just…" She shakes her head, like she's trying to clear the last remnants of fear. "You handled that really well."

I exhale a dry laugh. "Better than getting my skull cracked open, I guess."

Before she can respond, Ryan's voice cuts through the tension like a blade.

"You want a fucking medal?"

I don't flinch. I knew this was coming.

Ryan storms forward, his fists clenched at his sides, his expression dark enough to start a fire. Dean is right behind him, arms crossed, his face carved from stone. Even Nate—calm, measured, rational Nate—looks like he's considering throwing a punch just for the principle of it.

Ava stiffens beside me, and I can already tell she's about to step in, about to play peacemaker, but I squeeze her waist once. A silentlet me handle this.

I turn fully to face her brothers, standing my ground.

Dean's gaze flicks to Andrew, still trembling on the ground. "So," he says, his voice edged with something I can't quite place. "That was… a situation."

I arch a brow. "Understatement of the year."

Ryan takes another step closer, jabbing a finger in my direction. "You almost got my sister killed."

I meet his glare without hesitation. "And I also stopped that from happening."

Ryan frowns at me. "You really want credit for doing the bare minimum?"

Dean exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ryan."

Ryan's jaw tics, but he steps back. Slightly.

Dean's eyes lock onto mine, assessing. "Look. I'm not going to pretend I'm happy about any of this," he says slowly. "But I'm also not going to ignore the fact that you kept her safe tonight."

It's as close to a thank-you as I'm going to get.

I nod once. "That's the goal."

Dean's gaze sharpens. "Yeah? And what about after tonight?"

I don't hesitate.

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect her."

Ryan lets out another scoff, but it's Nate who finally steps forward. "That's a bold promise, Carter."

I meet his gaze. "I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."

For a long moment, silence stretches between us, heavy with things unsaid. Dean looks at Ava, then back at me, and something shifts in his expression. Like he's seeing something he doesn't want to see but can't deny.

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