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"She’s safe with me I respect her, and I also won’t let anyone else hurt her," West said with firm deterain He wanted to be friends I could do that I wanted that I needed that too

Brady appeared to believe him "Good Well, you want to come inside? Mom made chocolate cake"

"Yeah" West looked down at me "You like chocolate cake?"

I hesitated then nodded I didn’t want to interfere in Brady’s life, but West wanted me there, and I wanted to be there for hi like I expected He wasn’t cruel or hard He wasn’t putting up a façade for anyone This was the guy I wanted him to be when he kissed et a slice of Coralee’s It’s delicious"

Brady looked confused, but he turned and headed inside West nodded for me to follow Brady, and as I did, West fell into step beside o up to my room and leave Brady alone with his friends That way Imyself No matter how much I wanted to be there to help West because I knehat it was like to do this alone, I wouldn’t let uard down completely

Brady walked inside and headed for the den Aunt Coralee stepped into the hallway from the kitchen and smiled when she saw West It was a sad smile but also one that said she was happy to see him I knew she orried about hiood to see you I h" She went straight to hied him, then pulled back and looked atpleased "Now you’ve burned some calories, you want to have a slice of chocolate cake with o have some cake in the den with us," Brady informed his htly "Well, okay That’s wonderful I’ll bring solasses in there" She turned and hurried back to the kitchen

"I think that justback at ht She was happy, and that made me smile

West’s hand slid behind uys I was used to seeing around Brady were lounging on sofas and beanbags, while a couple were shooting hoops at a basketball hoop on the wall

"Maggie!" Nash said thethere It was the first tiuess the shock of seeingme

West kept his hand on my back as he moved me into the room toward the table

It was obvious Brady hadn’t told the other guys about West’s dad None of them looked at him like they orried about him or like they didn’t knohat to do I was relieved for him He had just faced Brady and Aunt Coralee He needed a break before he faced the rest of theie’s herewith West," Nash said because no one else was saying anything