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He rolled a massive shoulder "I’ve always been proud"

"Baloney" The way she remembered it, West had been plenty pissed at her when she’d "stood up to" their dad

Another breeze stirred, bringing with it the scent of rain

Hands in his pockets, West looked up at the darkening sky, then to Dash and the cat "You’ve got it wrong, you know" That quiet, too serious tone settled around her "I just wasn’t crazy about your tis happen when they happen" With her dad, well, there had been no putting off the inevitable Not if she hoped to keep a clear conscience

Not if she was to live up to the standards she set for others

"The ti could have screwed you over h, anomalous emotion filled every word "I should have known to trust you to work it out, though And I’ the expected, but the way you’ve risen through the ranks is nothing short of i vigilant on the front porch--while also staying very focused on Margo "Well, let’s just say you did as right I know it Even Dad knows it--though I doubt you’ll never hear hiht Co validation And she was never weak

But the praise from her brotherit filled her like a sweet bubble "I don’t need anything from Dad But from you" What could she add to that? She shook her head "It means a lot Thank you"

"You’re more than welcome" He nodded toward Dash "I don’t think he trusts me any more than he does Dad"

She turned her head--and found Dash staring at theo twisted her ave her attention back to her brother "He trusts you or he’d have draggedwith him to the porch, rather than leave us alone"

West cocked a brow "You would allow that?"

The brisk, fresh air filled her lungs So hts, yet with Dash, she felt hthearted than she kneas possible "It’s funny He has this protective, al?" West grinned, showing his beautiful teeth and that undeniable charured you for being that fenacious as hell, always deter I did, by yourself, without any help frorossly"

"I’irl anyrown rown men shake in their boots"

"Don’t be ridiculous"

He put a hand over his heart "Swear You do understand that’s the reason ht? You intihed and shook her head Sure, they resented her authority, disdained her rank, but she didn’t know of anyyou a tale" Undecided for only a moment, he stepped closer and said, "Last week I had to threaten to deck a guy I caught hi his mouth about you to two of his idiotic buddies"

"I don’t want you fighting forabout?" He leaned down to face her and enunciated clearly "I’ht to defend o’s sestured for his did the knucklehead say about me?"

"He called you a ballbuster Said you were always breathing down his neck, de it up a little for your ears, by the way No ill I repeat his exact words But I’d like it to go on the record that your reaction is typical for you You brush off their du the else, really neuters a guy"

"So what? You think I haven’t heard it all before?" But then curiosity got the better of her "So what did you say to him?"

West rubbed his ear "Well, first I told hi"

"West!" The sexist re And that, too, was another of Dash’s influences The gravity of her existence had been lightened by his presence

West shared her a pleased by it "I also told hi to do yourself and if he couldn’t keep up, then maybe he wasn’t much of a ot was a verbal slap because I really wanted to stoh, hen I told hiized real quick and went on his way"

Sratitude was in order or not She settled on a shoulder bu up for me"

"If it’s any consolation, his two buddies weren’t impressed with him They both told lad you’re tightening things up"

Who were they? She badly wanted to know, but refused to ask "Glad to hear it But you have to know that’s an isolated incident"

"Not"

"Dash has never been inti her how soft and sth and size And thinking that made her shiver anew She needed to be alone with Dash Now

Looking over her head, Westat Dad, I’d say it’d take a lot to unnerve that one"