Page 47 of Dirty Mechanic

I grin. “You mean the deal you made before the pie contest you forced me to sabotage? The one we sealed between your thighs that night?”

She groans, but it’s almost a laugh.

“Yeah, Honeycrisp,” I murmur, dragging my knuckles across her jaw. “You owe me big.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“Damn right,” I reply, then lean in, voice dropping. “You listen to me. I’d never force you into anything. But those demons you’re running from? They’re mine now, too. And we fight them together.”

She leans into my touch like it’s instinct. Like I’m home.

“You’re safe now,” I whisper. “And I’m not letting you face any of this alone.”

She nods, small and sure.

“We should talk to Caroline,” I say. “She’s sharp. If anyone can fast-track a restraining order, it’s her. And if Mike’s got a lawyer, we need one who knows how to play dirtier.”

Annabelle snorts softly. “Caroline definitely knows her way around the courthouse. And she seems to have turned things around with Emma.”

“I think she’ll burn down the courthouse in heels if it means making things right with Emma and keeping you safe.”

That earns me another smile. Faint. But real.

“Let’s do it.”

I tuck her in closer, the hammock rocking gently beneath us. I anchor myself to her warmth, to the sound of her breathing, to the weight of her head against my chest.

She’s here.

And for now, that’s enough.

My phone dings with a message from Blake.

Last year’s runner-up just dropped out.

My heart kicks once, hard and hopeful, and instantly guilty.

I’ve got a shot now. A real one.

My phone rings this time and Eric’s name lights up the screen.

“My brother at this hour?” Annabelle whispers.

I answer before the next ring. “Hey, is everything okay?”

“It’s happening,” he says, breath tight. “Emma’s contractions are five minutes apart. We’re heading to the hospital.”

I close my eyes, hand gripping the phone.

Because, of course.

The calm never lasts.

“On our way,” I say.

And just like that, the world speeds up again.

But I’ve got her. And I’m not letting go.