Page 130 of Valor

“Bed?” he growls. When I open my eyes and see the fury on his face, I know exactly where his mind went.

“I don’t believe I was sexually assaulted,” I tell him. “Granted, I was unconscious for a lot of the time, but I really don’t think that’s what they wanted from me.”

The fury on his face doesn’t ease. His body is shaking from the force of his anger, so I squeeze his hand.

“They cut my hair,” I say. “And when I asked why, I was told that I didn’t deserve anything I had.” I choke on the words, the lump in my throat making it hard to even breathe. “I didn’t deserve it,” I repeat. “What does that even mean?”

“Honey, it’s not true. None of that is true.”

“I know it’s not, I just—” I trail off, anger burning through the fear still clinging to me like a second skin.

“This was personal, then,” Gibson says. “And the danger isn’t over until we find out who did this.”

The door opens, and I’m absolutely delighted as all of my brothers rush in with my dad.

“Look who’s awake!” Tucker grins at me, then offers me the teddy bear I slept with all growing up. I take it and breathe easy as he hugs me.

“Thank you,” I say.

“Anytime, little sister.”

Bradyn is next, wrapping his arms around me. Then Riley, Elliot, and Dylan.

With each embrace from my family, a bit more of the darkness is beat back, leaving me feeling loved and warm inside. Mostly, anyway. There’s still a pit in my stomach. A cold, dark pit that reminds me this isn’t over.

“Thank you, guys, for coming home,” I tell them. “I know it must have been a stressful trip.”

“As if you have to thank us.” Tucker shakes his head.

“We’d move the moon for you, Lani, you know that,” Dylan says.

“Don’t think twice about it,” Riley adds.

Tears fill my eyes. So much love in this room. For me. Do I deserve it? What have I done to earn such loyalty?

My dad steps up to my side and leans down to kiss me on the forehead. “Lani, girl, you gave us all a scare.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too, Lani girl.” He kisses me on the forehead again, then steps back and turns his attention to Gibson. “Any leads yet?”

“We know it was a personal attack,” he says, turning toward my brothers. “Which means they’re coming for her again. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Then we better find them before they do,” Dylan says flatly. While I don’t know exactly what it is my brothers did back when they were Special Forces, I do know that they each have their own talents.

And I know that Dylan suffered weeks of torture at the hands of an enemy before the others were able to track him down and get him out. My brother came back changed. They all did. Is something like that going to happen to me?

Will I be forever different because of the actions of one person? Will I ever feel safe again?

The door opens again, and Doctor Piece comes in, a wide smile on his face. “Lani, it is good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back,” I tell him.

“How are you feeling?” He eyes the IV I tore out of my arm but doesn’t say anything.

“Better. Ready to go home,” I tell him. Though I don’t want to go home—not really. I just don’t want to be here. The security of the ranch is calling me. The guest room in my parent’s house where Mom’s cooking waits and Dad is right downstairs to chase monsters out from beneath my bed.

“Given what you went through, I’m not surprised.”

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