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W hen Max rolled up in front of Sara’s house, he parked his jeep and approached Levi and Steve in the SUV.

“Anything?” Max asked.

“Nothing. It’s been pretty quiet—” Levi said only to have his words cut off by Steve.

“Shit!” Steve said and leaped from the vehicle.

Max whirled around and caught the exact moment Blake Stevenson ran up Sara’s front steps and kicked in the front door.

What the fucker hadn’t expected was to have an eighty-pound dog in his face.

Screaming, Blake fell backward down the steps with Leo locked on.

Good boy.

Out of his jeep, Max jogged over to the man and dog on the wet concrete. Oh man, that was going to leave a mark, Max thought with satisfaction.

“Leo, release,” Max said, he didn’t even need to raise his voice.

The dog immediately let go of Blake’s arm and sat on his haunches. Ears up, eyes locked on his quarry.

Blake rolled to his side on the wet pavement, making noises of agony in his throat, holding his arm where the blood was gushing.

Striding closer, Max used the heel of his boot to roll the guy to his back.

Blake stared up at him.

“You should have stayed away,” Max said and leaned down to fist the front of Blake’s jacket. “And you never should have put your hands on her.”

Max lifted the guy by one fist and punched him in the face with the other. The satisfying crunch of bone breaking filled the air.

Max released his grip and Blake dropped out cold to the sidewalk.

“Max?” Lily’s voice drew his attention to the front porch. She stood in the doorway clutching the comforter around her. Blonde hair billowing, blue eyes scared and worried.

Sara, Ana, and Michelle hovered behind Lily.

“Go inside and call the police,” he told Lily and then turned to Sara. “Can you get me an old rag?”

Lily dodged back into the house already on the phone and Sara returned shortly holding out a rag. Max took the piece of material and tied it around the dog bite on Blake’s arm—just so the asshole wouldn’t bleed out before the cops arrived.

When a police car and an EMT vehicle rolled up to the scene, things might have become a bit tricky, but it wasn’t. And that was primarily because Lily had filed a restraining order against Blake.

The video from Sara’s door camera showed Blake kicking in the door and entering the residence. It also showed Leo taking the perp down.

“Impressive dog, thank you both for your service,” Officer Cox said and handed back both his and Leo’s ID cards.

Max tipped his head and gave a hand signal to Leo. The dog was off like a rocket into the house.

After the cops and EMTs left taking Blake with them, Max fixed the front door with some duct tape and called a repair guy who assured him he’d be there first thing in the morning.

Lowering down to sit on the front steps, Leo moved in close to his side.

Max knew it was only a matter of time before Blake got out on bail again. He ran his hand over the top of Leo’s head and curled his fingers into the dog’s scruff. They both needed to destress.

Violence was never the answer, he knew that in his head, but when it came to Lily all bets were off.

It was the same with Leo. When he was ordered to guard, the dog would leave bodies in his wake to fulfill that order. Now, Max needed to care for Leo and make sure the dog’s head was on right. People thought that dogs came away unscathed from violence, but it just wasn’t the case.

Leo nosed in closer until his head was resting on his thigh. The dog released a contented sigh and Max wrapped him up close.

“I’m going to go get some groceries, I’ll be back.” Sara gave her a kiss on the cheek on her way out the door.

Lily wandered to the window and watched the man and dog on the porch. She wanted with her whole body and soul to wrap them both up in her arms. If not for Leo, Blake would have gotten to her. If not for Max, Leo wouldn’t have been here protecting her.

Pressing her hands to her mouth, she held back her grief. How long would her bad choices follow her?

When the pair on the steps showed no signs of coming inside out of the cold weather, Lily took matters into her own hands.

Lightly stepping out of the front door, she pulled it closed as much as possible behind her. Max had fashioned some duct tape and the broken latch to help it close.

Thankfully, the deadbolt still worked.

Leo’s nose lifted from Max’s thigh and man and dog turned toward her.

Silently, Lily held her hand out to Max. As if dumbfounded, Max stared at her for a long moment before he reached for her hand. He stood up from the cold steps and took a step toward her. Max’s hand was cold and she pulled him and patted her leg for Leo to come into the house. Pulling the door closed and flipping the deadbolt, she didn’t release Max’s hand until he was settled onto the couch with the comforter on his lap. Leo curled up in front of the roaring fire.

Ana and Michelle had left over an hour ago. Ana was staying at Michelle’s house. Michelle had been distraught over the fact that Blake had followed her to Sara’s place, and it had taken a while to assure her friend that none of Blake’s actions were her fault.

With Ana in charge as always, Michelle had left with a smile and a kiss saying they would come over the next day.

Sinking down beside Max, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time crept over her.

When they were together, it was indescribable.

It felt like peace and she wanted to stay like that forever. Max slid an arm around her shoulders and drew her gently against his side.

She wasn’t intimidated at all by Max’s size. The only thing he’d ever done was make her feel safe. Minus the part where he’d broken her heart.

Yeah, that still lingered. They’d missed years because of his choices and she’d been left alone. Did she trust him to never put her second again? No, but what she did trust him with was to keep her safe and right then, that was what she needed the most.

Lily curled in beside him and took his hand in her smaller one. Max sat soaking up her warmth. The cold from outside all but forgotten.

God, he really did love her. But now, perhaps their moment to be together forever had come and gone. That sat like a stone in his throat and as much as he wanted to be the man Lily deserved, was it even possible?

The doubts crowded in and it was everything he could do not to haul ass out of there just to get some air. But he would stay because Lily needed him.

Keys rattled in the dead bolt and Sara stepped inside along with Chris and another man Max remembered from years ago. They all carried groceries, placing them on the table.

“You remember my brother Shane, don’t you, Max?” Sara said, shrugging out of her coat. Chris hung her jacket next to his.

“Yes.” Max stood to shake the younger man’s hand before resuming his seat on the sofa.

Lily waggled her fingers at Shane, who smirked. The man was tall, about as tall as Chris. Both men were slender, but where Chris had blond hair, Shane’s hair was dark brown. Shane and Sara both had sea-green eyes and looked alike even though they were five years apart with Sara being the older.

“I’ll make coffee.” Both Sara and Chris disappeared into the kitchen.

“Weren’t you in college?” Max asked Shane.

“I was, but I graduated. I’m surprised Sara didn’t fill you in since you two talk,” Shane said and dropped down to sit on the other side of Lily.

Talk? Max frowned. What the fuck was that about? Did he detect a note of jealousy in Shane’s voice? Max became hyper-aware of Shane when the young man took hold of Lily’s free hand before looking over her face.

“You look like warmed up shit,” the man teased.

“Thanks,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes at the man.

“Did you put him in jail?”

“I did.”

“Did you file for divorce?”

“Yes, Ana submitted the paperwork, plus she will file assault charges against him,” Lily assured Shane.

“Good,” Shane said and then released Lily’s hands to take the cup of hot coffee his sister held out to him.

Chris placed a cup for him and one for Lily on the coffee table. Max lifted a cup with a grateful nod and took a slow sip.

Sara and Chris’ timing had been perfect because Max had been seconds away from knocking Shane on his ass.

Chris settled into the recliner and Sara settled on the arm, leaning against the back. The couple sipped at their steaming cups of coffee.

“How long will you be here this time?” Lily asked Shane.

“I’ll leave Sunday, but will be back again for Christmas and then leave after New Year. I only live in Tukwila, it’s not like I’m across the country.” Shane grinned at Lily, who gave a sheepish smile.

“I know, but you don’t get out this way often.”

“Yes I do, Lily, I’m at the apartment in Seattle quite often,” Shane told her softly. “It’s just that you were never around after you got married.” The young man shrugged and took a swallow of coffee.

Lily touched the top of Shane’s hand. “I’m sorry. That’s going to change.”

“Well, yeah, since you’re living with Sara, now we can hang out,” Shane agreed.

Lily glanced at him and Max wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say, so he stayed quiet. Lily turned to Sara and then back to Shane.

“For now, but eventually, I want to go back to my apartment.”

“What?” Shane frowned.

“You can’t be serious,” Chris said flatly and Max silently echoed the guy.

“Not until it’s safe, but I bought that apartment with my own money.”

“Well technically, you can’t own an apartment where you live,” Chris said.

“Yes, I can,” Lily said with a smile. “My grandfather owns that building. I bought the upper-floor apartment from him.”

“Ohhhhh,” Shane said with a laugh. “It’s that Snow money.”

“I want to have Thanksgiving here!” Sara announced to the group.

“Um…why?” Lily said.

“Because with everything going on, we need something to bring our spirits up and this will be perfect. I already talked to Michelle, and she agreed that having it here would be easier for you. And it seems everyone’s families had other plans anyway, so this way, there will be no family drama, just our friends, and Shane.”

Lily laughed. “That makes a weird sort of sense. Can I invite my grandfather though?”

“Of course,” Sara responded and the two women gave each other enthusiastic hugs.

“I want one!” Shane announced and laughter rang around the room.

Leo lifted his head from his paws. He gave the group a once over and then went back to snoozing. It was always the case when Max appeared comfortable with the room, Leo could relax.

Max envied the dog. In truth, he wasn’t comfortable in the room at all, not with Shane making goo-goo eyes at Lily.

Every thought of hauling ass out of there went to the wayside. He no longer had thoughts of escaping a past he wasn’t proud of. He’d own it and make his apology and hope to hell that Lily eventually forgave him.

All Max wanted to do at that very moment was to take Lily out of there, but right now, he had to wait.

But that shouldn’t be hard. After all, he was a very patient man.

When Shane shared a hug and smile with Lily, Max shifted on the couch and squeezed the coffee mug tightly.

Even patient men had their limits.