Michael looked away before dragging his gaze back, his face aflame. “Better. No more blood.”

“Good. Don’t forget to take the laxative pills. They’ll help.”

Michael’s quick eye-roll spoke volumes. “Okay. Fine.”

She gave him a smile. “Don’t stay up reading too long, okay?”

He smiled back, shyly. “I won’t. Thank you,” he added in a burst of sign.

She tilted her head. “For what?”

He gestured around him. “All this. Getting your friends to watch over us. Not hating me because of what I said to Joshua.”

She sighed. “Well, you told him the truth. I am temporary emergency housing. But you guys are in a unique position. I’m hoping you can stay the max time, which is thirty days.” And then? We’ll see. But she wasn’t promising anything until she had hard facts. There was no way she’d further disappoint these kids.

His smile was wobbly. “Better than nothing. Good night.”

Dani watched him go, then descended the stairs with a sigh, only to be met by the sudden barking of seven dogs at a knock on the front door. The dogs were quickly hushed by their owners, and Marcus gently pushed her aside when she started for the door.

She glared at him. “I would have checked who it was first.”

“He promised Diesel he’d keep you safe,” Scarlett murmured as she made her way back into the living room. She’d raced for the half bath as soon as the movie had finished, bemoaning her constant need to pee. “Marcus won’t break a promise to anyone, especially to Diesel.”

Marcus, Stone, and Diesel were a tightly knit group, Dani thought, grateful that Diesel had a strong support system. He was likely going to need it. She still hadn’t figured out what she’d say to him when he came back.

If he came back.

It wasn’t the security she was worried about. She had no doubt that any one of her gun-toting friends or family would stay with her until everything was safe.

Or maybe she should request a safe house for the boys. Part of her rebelled at the notion. This house was set up for Michael. And it was Dani’s home. It had taken her a long time to fix it the way she wanted it. She’d have to wait and see what happened. Her friends wouldn’t be able to stay with her forever.

Of course, if the boys’ mother came after Joshua, Dani wouldn’t need assistance from anyone. She’d knock the woman on her skinny ass before she got close to the little boy. She looked down, unsurprised to see that she’d clenched her fist.

“Dad? Keith?” Marcus’s curious voice cut through her thoughts. “Come on in.”