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“Get over here. I need a hug.”

My throat tightened. I made my way up to the porch and wrapped my arms around her. She rubbed my back, angling her stomach to one side so she could squeeze me as tightly as possible.

“Wylie helped me clean up the guest bedroom for you,” she said. “The sheets are still in the washing machine, but they’ll be done in about twenty minutes. So you don’t have to sleep on the couch.”

My eyes burned and I blinked back tears of gratitude.

“I’m sorry to spring this on you at the last minute.”

“Nonsense,” Connie said. “You know damn well I’m putting you to work while you’re here. I won’t waste a single opportunity to recruit you for babysitting duty so I can rest my poor feet.”

I tightened my grip on her with a sigh, comforted by her company. After a beat of silence, she spoke again.

“Was he hot?”

I groaned and sagged in her arms.

“Connie. Don’t ask me that.”

“I’m your little sister,” she replied. “It’s my job to poke all those tender spots you’re trying to hide. Besides, I know how much you used to drool over Neil’s tattoos and black leather. Now answer the question.”

I groaned again.

“Fine. Yeah, I hate to say it, but he was hot. I mean, besides the bruises and the hospital gown. But those tattoos still seem to have the power to make my common sense fly out the window.”

Tattoos. Muscles. That slow, sexy little smile. Hisvoice. And the way he looked at me with such blatant desire in his eyes that I couldn’t think straight.

Connie huffed a laugh and pulled back, patting my shoulder.

“Why don’t we go inside? I’ll get you a stiff drink. You could probably use it.”

“I thought you got rid of any alcohol in your house when you found out you were pregnant with baby number two,” I replied.

She shrugged.

“I did, but I can still make a wicked cup of chocolate milk. If you add enough chocolate syrup, it qualifies as a stiff drink.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” I said, amused.

“Hey, if you really want to get crazy, we can go with chamomile tea. All that boiling water, dipping the tea bag in the cup. It’s a wild time, I’m telling you.”

I smiled at Connie. Lightening the mood with her sense of humor, cracking lame jokes to make me feel better. She smiled back and hooked her arm through mine, leading me into the sanctuary of her home.

Chapter three

Kingpin

After two more days in the hospital, and a battery of tests, I was released to go home. Baby Doll and Big G showed up, bringing a fresh change of clothes, and my cut.

“I’m surprised to see you’re still in one piece,” Big G said, with a smug gleam in his eye. “Hattie didn’t feel like chewing you up and spitting out your bones?”

“Very funny,” I replied, dryly. “I’ve never seen a man turn tail and run for the hills as fast as you did.”

“I don’t stand in the way of an ex-wife on the warpath. Besides, I didn’t think you would appreciate it if I stuck around to watch the show. I figured you probably wanted to be humiliated in private.”

I huffed and took my cut from him with a scathing look.

“A little back up would have been nice.”