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“What is she doing?” she heard Aaron ask Chandler.

“No idea.”

The truth was, she hadn’t known what she was doing either, until right this moment. She began to shake the half-full bag, dimly noting in the back of her mind that a few grains landed in the sink. Then she pirouetted, shaking it all the while until the bag was empty. She threw the plastic at Aaron, her expression daring him to do something about it.

He didn’t. He didn’t so much as blink when the plastic glanced off his chest.

They were both looking at her, and their faces weren’t angry or contemptuous. They were… compassionate. Loving.

They lovedher. She’d forgotten, for a little while, but faced with their silent empathy even now, it was more than she could take.

“Spank me,” she demanded, her voice tight. “Go on, I know you want to!” Each word was hurled like an insult, and she punctuated them with a glare.

Neither of them moved, and somehow, that only made her anger grow.

Chyanne began to pace again, but her foot slipped on rice, and she went down with a screech. The pain in her ankle, the humiliation of the fall, and knowing she was to blame for both were what did it.

The tears began to fall and she buried her face in her hands, sobs reverberating from her chest.

That was when she felt them. Almost as one, they were at her side. Not yelling, not condemning or punishing. Just sitting on either side of her, silently comforting, holding her up.

CHAPTER11

Chandler

He’d never felt more helpless. He wrapped an arm around Chyanne, feeling every sob that ripped through her. She was crying as though she would never stop, and the longer it went on, her small body racked with wails, the more he began to wonder if she would.

But he held her just the same, and Aaron on the other side of him met his eyes.

What the heck happened?he wondered.

As though Chandler could read his mind, he shook his head.

Neither of them had answers or knew how to make this stop. So they simply held her. It was the one thing they could do.

It felt like it had been hours when her sobs finally gave way to a softer cry. Chandler stroked her hair, gently shushing her until even those pitiful cries stopped.

“Okay,” Aaron broke the quiet in his commanding voice. “Let’s see that ankle.”

Sniffling, she stuck her leg out toward him, only wincing a little when he felt around.

“I want you to try and stand.”

Chyanne looked at him with watery eyes and a pitiful expression, but nodded.

Aaron shifted with one of her arms around her neck. Realizing what he was about to do, Chandler grabbed her free hand and guided her arm around his neck. Together, they stood, and Chyanne along with them.

When she only whimpered softly, Aaron slid out of her embrace, watching carefully. She still managed to stand, and he nodded.

“Good. I think you’re going to be fine. It may be a little sore, but it shouldn’t cause you any problems.”

She nodded her agreement. “Thanks. And, um—”

Aaron shook his head. “Not right now. I think we all need time to think. I’ll be right back—stay there.”

“Where else do I have to go?” she asked morosely, but she was talking to his back at that point.

Chandler eyed her, looking her up and down, and wondering what to do next. Clearly Aaron already had a plan, so maybe he should just wait for that to take shape. But the daddy in him refused to let that comment pass without acknowledging it.