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“You got it.” He gave me a quick squeeze, then said, “Give me a minute with the boys, and I’ll walk you back over to your place.”

“Sounds good.”

Sergei was talking quietly with Viktor and Nikolai. Their voices were low, but I could tell by looking at them that plans were being made. But this time, I didn’t need to be part of it. I’d done what I needed to do.

Hudson walked over to them and said a few words, than gave Sergei a pat on the back. “I’m taking your mother back to her place.”

“You staying with her?”

“I am.”

“Good. I don’t want her to be alone tonight.”

“Won’t be a problem.”

Sergei glanced over at me, and I gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m okay. I’ll see you boys in the morning.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

I nodded, and Hudson led me out the back door and out to the porch. I held back and waited as he walked over and had a word with Grim and several of the other brothers. As I stood there watching them, I was overcome with emotion. They didn’t know me or my boys, not really, and yet, they came here today and put their lives on the line to help us. It meant more to me than I could ever express, but I felt compelled to try.

I took a slight step toward them as I said, “Thank you. Thank you for coming today and last night and helping the way you did. It meant a great deal to me and to my boys, and I’ll never forget you being here when we needed you most.”

I was rambling, but I couldn’t help myself.

“I know it was asking a lot, but you did it anyway, and…”

“It’s okay, babe,” Hudson interrupted. “It’s what family’s supposed to do.” I didn’t respond.

I was too busy crying for that.

Hudson shook his head and smiled, then took my hand and led me back to my place. On the way, he didn’t bother asking if I was okay. He already knew the answer. By the time we got upstairs, the weight of everything that happened had settled over me like a thick blanket.

Hudson closed and locked the door behind us, then turned his attention to me, “Go shower and put on something comfortable. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“The rest?”

“Shower,” he pushed.

“Okay. Okay.”

I did as I was told and took a long, hot shower, and by the time I was done, I’d started to feel more like myself again. I slipped on a pair of pajama pants and an old, oversized t-shirt.

I towel dried my hair before heading back to the living room. When I walked in, I found Hudson in the kitchen, and he’d made us both a grilled cheese and a bowl of tomato soup. He’d even cut the grilled cheese in diagonals, just the way I liked them.

He had a bottle of wine already uncorked, and one of my favorite movies was playing on the TV. “Is thatPractical Magic?”

“It is.”

“You know it’s a chick-flick, right?”

“I do.” He poured me a glass of wine as he added, “I also know it’s one of your favorites.”

I stood there a second, just staring at him and feeling my heart swell in my chest. And just like that, the chaos of the day faded away. I crossed the kitchen, wrapped my arms around his middle, and pressed my face to his chest. “And this is why I love you.”

“And all this time, I thought it was because I was good in bed.”

“Well, you are, but it’s how you take such good care of me that makes me love you the most.”