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I was just about to the point I could hold ht if Jesse’s hold loosened when the screen door screeched open

"Jesse?" Lily’s voice was s on?"

"Lily, I need you to dome down onto the steps "Grab one of those blankets up there and co out with Rowen for a few minutes, will you?"

I didn’t want hih of a boost to know I could e without him He’d talkedaway from it on my own

Lily walked down the steps and sat besidea blanket to Jesse Her face was full of concern when she looked at ht?"

I wiped my eyes and tried on a shtly around rabbed my face in his hands, kissed my forehead, then bounded up the stairs "It’s about to be all right"

The tone of his voice put h alert "Jesse?" I called after hi?"

"Putting a piece of shit in his place," he said, his voice murderous "Lily, keep Rowen out here"

Oh, crap I tried standing up, but Lily clamped her hands down on my shoulders and kept , she had soth She shook her head when I looked at her with exasperation "I don’t knohat’s going on, but let Jesse take care of it He usually knohat’s best"

"And that ‘usually’ part is supposed to reassure me?"

Lily wrapped an ar else when the sound of a faht both of our attentions

"Get out," Jesse demanded, his voice so loud it sounded like he was just a few feet away, not back in the kitchen A few seconds of silence passed "Get out of our fking house!"

I heard a few Jesses called out from Neil and Rose before the sound of a serious brawl ca up in ht me and pulled o I’o break this up"

The sounds of glass breaking and things clattering to the floor, interlaced with the sounds of punches being thrown and followed by loud grunts, ca in the kitchen Even Moirls

"Trust ht," she said, wincing when a particularly loud shattering sound cauy"

I could never find one scrap of worry for the other guy Not in this lifetiht before the back door off the kitchen busted open Jesse had Pierce by the hair and ared hied out the door right after, followed by Mo and try to stay upright His suit was rumpled, his dress shirt stained with food and blood, and he’d be sporting a couple of black eyes for the next feeeks

Other than enraged, Jesse didn’t look like he’d just been in a fist fight As they passed us, Jesse stopped and lifted Pierce’s head so he looked my direction "I want you to look her in the eyes And I want you to apologize"

Pierce was scared Frightened Like he was the one who’d been thrown to the ground and hovered over "I’ I forced myself to look at him so I’d remember him that way: scared, beaten, and repentant

"I want you to swear that you will never, ever coain," Jesse seethed "Ever! Because if you thought the beating you took tonight was bad, just you coain and I’ll show you bad"

When Pierce stalled, Jesse drove a fist into his side Lily and I covered ourhis hands "Easy, son You’ve taught hi to go plenty further if he doesn’t swear he’ll never show his face around Rowen again!" Jesse shouted

"I swear it," Pierce said instantly "I swear I’ll stay away froain"

Jesse released hiet the hell off of our ranch"