The only thing I left out was Roman. Because that piece carried too much shame.
“And then the water heater broke on Monday. Bernie said we need a new one, but Rick is dragging his feet.”
Cope’s hand flexed around the back of my neck, and his expression went thunderous. The urge to take a giant step back was strong. This was the kind of fury I knew Cope played with, the rage his opponents faced.
“Are you telling me you’ve been taking ice-fucking-cold showers all week?” he snarled.
I swallowed hard. “Luca can shower at the rink, so it’s just me. It’s not that bad. I?—”
“Get your shit. Now. Luca’s, too,” Cope growled.
My jaw went slack. “Excuse me?”
Cope’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not staying in a place with no warm water. Not for one minute more. So, get your stuff. You’re moving in with me.”
13
COPE
Fury pulsedthrough me like waves of fire. It took everything in me to keep my hold on Sutton gentle and not haul her over my shoulder to get her and Luca into my SUV and safely home. But it was more than anger at what that asshole, Rick, was putting her through.
It was that she was out of options. Sutton planned to move her and Luca into a tiny one-room guesthouse because it was the only safe option she thought she had. But it wasn’t.
When I had Shep design my house, he’d rolled his eyes at how over the top it was. But the truth was, I didn’t spend my money on much. I had a ridiculous vehicle, sure, but I invested in my homes—my penthouse in Seattle and my place here in Sparrow Falls.
Here, I got wide-open spaces. A place to breathe. And I wanted the house to have that same comfort. That meant a gym and a screening room. Massive living, dining, and cooking spaces. A library and an office. Ten bedrooms, thirteen baths, a pool, and a hot tub.
Plus, the space I’d created for Arden, giving her the job of property manager. She had a small guesthouse and a large workshop bigenough to house her monster sculptures and other over-the-top art pieces. And finally, a small barn and paddock to care for her two horses. It all came together to create a place where she hopefully felt safe.
I wanted to give that to Sutton and Luca, too. I just didn’t want to look too closely at thewhyof it all.
Sutton gaped at me, those beautiful turquoise eyes widening with shock. “Cope, I can’t?—”
“You can, and you are. I get that you’re used to going things alone. But you’ve got people around you who care. Let us help.”
She worried her bottom lip. “I can sign the lease for that guesthouse tomorrow and?—”
“Warrior,” I growled. “Five hundred square feet for two people isn’t enough space. I’ve got a whole wing that you and Luca can have to yourselves. There’s tons of property for Luca to explore. A pool and a pond. He’ll love it.”
Sutton tugged harder on that lip, and I sensed her wavering.
“If you don’t feel comfortable staying with me, then stay with Mom and Lolli. You know they’d love to have you.”
Her eyes glistened. “Why are you all so nice?”
Those unshed tears broke something in me, and I pulled Sutton against my chest. “You deserve more than nice, Warrior.”
She shuddered against me. “You don’t know that.”
My hands stilled on the back of her neck, and then I picked up my kneading again. “I may not know what you’ve been through, but I know it’s something.” Every instinct I had told me that. And the idea of hardship hurting her, or worse, that pain coming at the hands of a human being, slayed me. “You deserve a break. Let me help you.”
Sutton’s hands fisted in my tee as if she were holding on for dear life. “I’ve worked so hard to stand on my own two feet. I can’t give that up.”
“You’re not.” My fingers sifted through her silky blond strands. “Just because you let someone give you a place to rest for a while doesn’t mean you aren’t standing on your own two feet.”
Sutton’s head tipped back, those hypnotic eyes clashing withmine. She was searching, looking for something I couldn’t identify. I just hoped like hell she found it.
Her throat worked as she swallowed. “You’re sure? It wouldn’t be for long. Just until I can save a little more and?—”
