“Why did she stay?” David couldn’t understand how Kate would put up with that kind of treatment.

“It’s hard to let go of all those years. She adored him once, but mostly she stayed because of Laura. One of Richard’s favorite threats was that he would take Laura so far away, Kate would never see her again.”

“I can only imagine how that affected her.”

Greg nodded. “Staying in Laura’s life was all that counted. As long as they were still in the same house, she had a chance. So Kate put up with him a lot longer than she should have.”

“Shit,” David muttered.

“Now he has Marie doing his dirty work on that front, playing Mommy,” Jonathan added.

“She doesn’t sound too stable,” David said. “I can’t believe the crap they’ve been trying to pull with Laura, but it seems things are improving there, too.” He looked at Kate’s father, who’d gone silent.

It obviously pained him that he couldn’t do anything to protect his daughter.

“Nothing surprises me with Richard,” Greg said. “He thinks rules are for everyone but him. The guy’s a pretentious ass. He affects this Kennedyesque persona, but he couldn’t support the family if he wanted to. He’s tenured, but he hasn’t made full professor, and his research is nothing that’s going to rock the scientific world. He treated Kate like she was the handmaid.”

“You’d think a guy with a PhD would know better.”

“That PhD don’t mean he ain’t bad.” Greg slipped into a heavy Southern drawl and slipped out just as fast.

“I can understand why everyone is so concerned. Here I am, pro athlete, bad reputation…”

“None of us want Kate to go through that kind of ordeal again, that’s all.” Greg leaned forward and faced him. “She’s been through enough. And as much as she tries to control her emotions, that woman does nothing halfway. I’m resident big brother. I’d have to beat y’all up if you hurt her.”

David smiled at Greg, who was a full head shorter and probably fifty pounds lighter. “And you’re all worried my intentions aren’t honorable?”

“Yes, I suppose so. Are your intentions honorable?”

“She’s very important to me. I won’t hurt her.”

David looked toward the kitchen, where he could see Kate and Trish fussing over the cookies and pastries. The TV was covering their voices, but they were deep in conversation. He’d never hurt her, and neither would anyone else.

“David?” Jonathan was now looking at him, serious and concerned. “That son of a bitch took my Katie from me. She didn’t let us help and he destroyed her. She seems more herself, lately. If you have any part in that, I’m grateful.”

David didn’t know if he was responsible for Kate’s ‘recovery’, but his goal was to make her happy. That was all. He wanted her happy. Alone now in the kitchen, David saw her swaying to the music playing in the background. Then suddenly, she stopped what she was doing, everything about her went rigid, and David saw Richard approach her.

Jonathan stood and Greg went on alert. Kate’s whole demeanor changed. Her head dropped, her shoulders sagged. She wouldn’t make eye contact with her ex-husband. He was speaking to her, but David couldn’t hear what the son of a bitch was saying.

“That’s my cue.” He rose and, while her father and brother-in-law watched, he walked to her side. It had taken him a while to get here, but this is where he belonged.

*

David’s hand settled on her back and Kate immediately relaxed. Richard, on the other hand, stiffened.

“Do you need a hand with anything?” David asked.

Looking up into his strong face, she saw why he was there and silently thanked him. David locked Richard in his sights and extended his hand.

“David Burke.”

Richard pursed his narrow lips and responded. “Richard Nicholls.”

“You’re leaving?” David said as he popped a piece of cookie in his mouth. He turned to Kate and smiled, then looked back at Richard.

“I was hoping Laura would come back with me. I haven’t seen her in over a week.”

“What did Laura say?” Kate asked.

“That she wanted to stay here. She’d come to see us for the New Year.”

“Then it’s settled,” David said. “You have a coat?”

Kate suppressed a laugh. David was being positively obnoxious, and Richard was going to lose his temper—which, she guessed, was what David was going for.

Tilting his head in her direction, she could see Richard was seriously pissed off. “Can’t fight your own battles, Kate? You had to sic your pit bull on me?”

David moved toward Richard, quietly, and stood toe-to-toe with him. The contrast was striking. Richard looked small, arrogant, and for once, intimidated. But David, he looked like a man who was protecting someone he loved. He didn’t do anything drastic, hadn’t made any grand gestures, but he stood with her. That simple act reassured Kate once again.

David didn’t address Richard’s comment, but motioned toward the kitchen door. Her father and Greg stood by and smiled as her boyfriend escorted her ex-husband out of the house.

*

Richard Nicholls was easy to hate. He walked slightly ahead of David, toward the sporty little Mercedes, and was pulling on his gloves when he finally spoke.

“If you think you are going to keep me out of Laura’s life because you’re fucking my ex-wife, you are sorely mistaken.” Richard stopped at the car and turned to face him.

He was one arrogant prick—haughty, pretentious, but at the same time, clueless. Stupidly, he wasn’t backing down. “I mean, Kate’s lovely, I certainly wouldn’t mind having at her again. I don’t doubt you and she are quite hot and heavy, but it doesn’t give you any standing.”

The move was so fast Richard couldn’t even take a breath. David had him against the hood of the Mercedes, his forearm pressing against Richard’s windpipe. His ice-blue eyes bulged, full of terror, and David applied just enough pressure so Richard couldn’t make a sound.

When David spoke, his voice was nothing more than a low growl. “You listen to me, motherfucker. You will stay away from Kate. You don’t touch her, or I will beat you to a bloody pulp. As far as Laura is concerned, she knows what you are. She makes the decisions about where she’s going to stay. Not you, and not that crazy bitch you live with. Are you getting this?”

Richard nodded, and David was happy they were establishing some boundaries. “You have intimidated Kate for the last time. I’m here now, and if you think you are going to heap the same kind of shit on her now that you have for the past twenty years, I will kick your ass from here to the tundra. Now get in your goddamn car and leave, and before you come back to this house, you ask permission.”

Letting go, David heard Richard gasping for air, coughing and wheezing. “You should be arrested.”

Before turning to go back in the house, David pointed at him. “Same goes, pal. Now get lost.”

*

David entered the house and stopped quickly when he came face-to-face with Kate’s mother. Melinda Adams had tears in her eyes and a look on her face that David couldn’t read. When she tossed her arms around him, David was caught completely by surprise. The woman wanted his head less than half an hour ago, and now she had him in an affectionate hug.

“Thank you,” she choked out. “Thank you for protecting her.”

He eased her away but kept his hands on her upper arms. Tears hung at the corners of Mrs. Adams’ eyes, and at that moment, he became completely aware of how bad Kate’s marriage had been. The face before him was one of an anguished mother, one who didn’t want to see her child hurt.

“I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry,” he said softly as she hugged him again. “Don’t worry.”

*

Two hours later, Kate, her sister, her mother, her daughter, and her niece sat around the kitchen island with glasses of milk, and a tray of brownies that needed to be eaten. They didn’t cut the sweet treat, but dug in with forks.