Kade came up on the other side of the bed and wrapped one of my hands in both of his. He lifted it to his lips and kissed my skin. “You’ve apologized enough, baby. We’re just happy you’re safe.”

“You found me.”

“We did. Scared the hell out of us.”

Pressing my lips together, I blew out a shaky breath. “I’m going to feel embarrassed for a while. Figure it’s best to warn you.”

Ben stepped forward, and Avery laid me gently back, letting Ben close. “You’re not the only one.” He pressed his forehead against mine, and I breathed in the sweet scent of vanilla. “I was the one who answered first, and that’s what you heard, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry,” he whispered. “I can’t even think about it, knowing it was my voice that broke your heart.”

Reaching up, I got my arms around his neck, though the angle was awkward. “I should have known,” I breathed. “None of you gave me a reason not to trust you. It was my own fucked up brain, and it felt like everything was falling apart.”

They were all touching me now, somewhere on my body. I was still weepy because it was like whiplash. Shame was and would cling to me while it was raw, but they were here, and I knew they weren’t going anywhere.

“So you’re coming home with us, baby girl?” Avery finally asked.

“Yes, please. And—” I stopped myself from blurting out the thought.

“Oh no,” Luke said. “What was that thought?”

I looked at all of them one by one. “I don’t really want to wait for a bonding ceremony. I just want all of you.”

Kade grinned. “The press will be so disappointed.”

“Yeah, well, they can go fuck themselves,” I said.

“That’s my girl,” Ben said.

Eva poked her head in the doorway. “Everything going okay in here?”

I laughed at the suspicion on her face. “Yes, it is.”

“Thank all the fucking cupcakes in the land. I was going to have to smack all of you down if you said differently.”

Raising an eyebrow, I stared at her. “Oh really?”

“Don’t give me that look. I can take you down.”

“Only because I have a sprained ankle,” I muttered, and Ben coughed to cover his laughter.

Eva stepped inside. “But I came to tell you there’s someone here to see you.”

Just beyond the door, I saw my mother. She was looking at me, and I barely recognized her. There wasn’t any polish. She was soaked with rain, clothes messy, and it looked like she’d been crying.

I looked back at my sister. “You talked to her?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And?”

She swallowed and nodded. “I think you should talk to her.”

My heart stuttered. “Okay.”