But he pushed a wheelchair, and she bit back a gasp when she saw One-Mile slouched in the seat, looking like he’d recently had one foot through death’s door. What he had endured at the hands of Emilo Montilla made her own pain seem smaller. Trees towered over them all with a surprisingly soft expression. And at the end, Zy stood, his stare intense and unwavering.
At the sight of him, the dam of her strength nearly broke. She pressed a hand over her mouth to hold in a sob.
“Welcome home, Tessa.” The colonel stepped forward and wrapped her in a warm hug, which she’d desperately needed for days.
“Thank you. All of you. This is…” She held herself together by sheer will and gave the team a wobbly smile. “I’m beyond touched.”
“These are for you.” Hunter handed her the bouquet of calla lilies, white roses, snowdrops, and greenery. “We’re sorry for your loss.”
She took them, automatically lifting them to her nose. She closed her eyes to regroup and lost herself for a guilty moment in the floral scents before setting them on top of the stroller. “They’re lovely. I appreciate it.”
Honestly, it was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in eleven days.
Logan stepped forward. “What do you need from us? Whatever it is, name it. We’ll take care of it.”
Tessa teared up again. She was at the edge of her control. This was another reason signing her contract had been the right choice, despite the fact it separated her from Zy. Naturally, the money and the benefits had been important, but the sense of family… She needed that so badly. Now that Daddy was gone, she no longer had one of her blood, but she had these men who’d somehow become like protective older brothers.
Losing her father had been a terrible, shocking blow. But her unexpected blessings filled a space in her heart.
She shook her head. “Just the weekend. Y’all look like you’ve been off to war and you might need me in the office.”
“We have been,” Josiah said.
“And we could use you in the office, for sure,” Joaquin added. “When you’re ready.”
She gave them all grateful smiles, then approached One-Mile. “I’m almost afraid to ask if you’re okay.”
The sniper’s face was fearsome—bruised and bloated and unwelcoming as usual—but tonight those black eyes held something surprisingly tender.
“His jaw was broken, so it’s wired shut. He can’t talk,” Logan supplied.
“And we’re all grateful,” Cutter muttered under his breath, who was apparently still furious that One-Mile had taken his girlfriend to bed.
Walker flashed him a glare and an obscene finger gesture.
“Ignore them,” Trees suggested. “Glad you’re back. My condolences.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Hallie fussed in the stroller, and the colonel smiled her daughter’s way. “Want out of there, little girl?”
The baby cooed as she flapped her arms and kicked her chubby legs.
“That’s what I thought,” said the older man. “I’m getting lots of practice with my grandkids.”
Out of nowhere, the thought that her dad had only had a handful of minutes to know that joy blindsided her. The grief that came with it was like a blow to the belly, stealing her breath and debilitating her with a pain that went beyond something she could fight with a pill.
Without even thinking, she turned to the only team member who hadn’t spoken to her. At his side, he held a plush white teddy bear with a pink bow around its neck and Hallie’s name stitched on its little hat.
“Hi.” He stepped toward her, big and stoic and solid.
They were on shaky ground. She wasn’t sure he’d forgiven her for signing the contract. Or for letting Cash move in. It still hurt her to think of him with Madison. Realistically, he’d never loved her the way she loved him. And that was okay. One thing she knew? He would be here for her if she asked. He would be steady and unwavering. She could count on him in a way she hadn’t been able to count on anyone else, even her dad the last months before his death.
At that, despite the thousand reasons she shouldn’t, she flung herself into his arms.
Without hesitation, he crushed her against him, strong and steady, wrapping his arms around her so tightly she nestled in a safe cocoon.
He’d never know how badly she’d needed him right now.
As sobs tore through her, breaking down all the composure she’d managed to scrape together, he remained unmoving and let her cry into the musky T-shirt that smelled so reassuringly like him.
Behind her,