Page 140 of Knotting the Cowboys

Cole: Go fuck yourself

The response comes so fast I know he's getting flustered, which only makes this more fun.

Cole's easy to rile when it comes to Willa—all that protective instinct wrapped up in propriety he doesn't actually feel.

Me: Maybe I will. Have Willa join in on the fucking

Cole: I'm going to murder you

Me: With what? Your disapproving glare?

Cole: With my bare fucking hands

Me: Kinky. Does River know about this side of you?

Cole:

Me: Triple birds? I'm honored

Cole: Just... take care of her, okay? She looked rough earlier. Seeing Blake fucked her up more than she let on

The abrupt shift to sincerity catches me off guard.

That's Cole—all jokes and crude banter until something actually matters, then he's the most earnest bastard you'll ever meet.

It's one of the reasons I trust him…why we all do.

Under all that gruff exterior is someone who'd bleed himself dry for the people he loves.

Me: I've got her

Cole: I know you do

Me: Nest better be fucking amazing when we get there

Cole: It will be. Austin's supervising. You know how he gets about comfort

Me: Like a mother hen with OCD

Cole: Exactly. Luna's already claimed one corner. We're building around her

The image makes me smile against Willa's hair.

Luna, tiny and determined, planted in the middle of what will be Willa's space. Austin, fussing over thread counts and pillow arrangements. River, probably contributing someobscure technical solution to optimize scent distribution. Cole, grumbling but secretly loving every minute of taking care of someone.

This is what we do.

What we are.

A pack of broken pieces that somehow fit together, each of us carrying damage we don't talk about but show in how fiercely we protect what's ours.

And Willa—whether she knows it or not—is ours now.

Me: Give me two hours

Cole: Mav...

Me*: To feed her. Christ you have a dirty mind

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