She kissed Lily’s cheek and took off, glad she’d worn her flat boots that night.

Tate heard the knock on the door. “I’ll get it,” she called out to Matt, who was in the bathroom with the girls, monitoring their bath time.

She opened and nearly had a heart attack at the sight of Beth, weeping and covered in blood. “Good Lord!” She grabbed Beth, pulling her into the house and slamming the door in her wake, locking it. “What is it? Are you all right? Is there someone after you?”

Beth shook her head, speechless but for the crying.

Matt ran out, holding a soaking-wet baby. “What’s going on?”

Beth’s attention jerked to where he stood with the baby. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know where else to go.” Beth kept crying, which alarmed Tate more than she wanted to say. Beth didn’t even cry when she was a baby. Their father had reacted to it with rage, even as babies they’d known to keep quiet to avoid his notice.

“There’s blood all over you.” Matt handed Lil Beth to Tate, who tucked the towel around her better so she wouldn’t get cold. He kept his voice level and calm. “Honey, let me see what’s wrong.”

Matt was trained as a paramedic, he’d make it better. Tate held Lil Beth as she tried to squirm out of her arms to get to her aunt.

Beth’s face, so pale, contrasted against the blood, showed pain and it made Tate’s stomach hurt.

“It’s not me. It’s not my outside that’s hurt.”

That brought tears to Tate’s eyes.

Matt moved slowly, so Beth could see exactly where he was going and what he was doing. He brushed her hair back away from her forehead. “I can see glass in a few places. Come into the kitchen with me. I’ve got a first aid kit in there. Tate, why don’t you call Shane?”

“No!” Beth grabbed Matt’s arm. “It’s…they were already involved. Please.”

Matt sighed but since Beth allowed him to lead her into the kitchen, he didn’t say anything else.

Tate looked to Beth after shaking her head sharply at Matt. “I’ll be right back. I want to get Meg dried off and both girls dressed.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I don’t want to scare the girls.”

“Hush about that. They love you to pieces. This is going to sting a little.” Matt worked steadily, pulling glass out of her skin and cleaning up after that.

She looked off into the middle distance, knowing he was torn between his job and his responsibility to her as family. She needed to explain enough to make him feel better. “Joe’s dad went through the front window of the Sands. He rushed at me. Joe knocked him aside to protect me and they both went out the window.”

“Jesus.”

“He was crazy. I mean like really crazy. He came in starting fights with everyone in sight. Joe and one of the cooks tried to calm him down. And then the window. The cops came. An ambulance came and took Joe’s dad to the hospital. Joe went with him. I just…I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry.”

Matt tipped her chin up, kissing the tip of her nose. “I said no more of that. Where else would you go but to Tate? Hmm? She’s your momma as sure as she’s Meg and Beth’s momma. You’re family, sweetheart. Of course you should have come.”

Matt washed his hands. “I’m going to go get the girls down. Tate will be out in a minute. You’re welcome here any time. Do you understand?”

She nodded, very close to crying again.

Tate came into the kitchen. “First, why don’t you take a shower? You have clothes here. Change into some sweats and warm socks and then you can have some whiskey with a tiny bit of tea and I can have some hot milk. Then you’ll tell me.”

Beth wanted to hug her, but she wasn’t sure if there was any glass left. So she obeyed, taking the clothes Tate had brought with her and then shuffled into the bathroom, closing the door in her wake.

She turned the water on and stood there, letting the tears go, letting herself cry as hard as she could. Because once those were gone, she needed to get herself back together somehow.

But it was safe here to let it go. So as she shampooed her hair, making sure there was no glass, as she got rid of her fabulous makeup job, as she washed the millions of cuts she’d gotten and hadn’t even known it as the window had shattered and the glass had flown, she allowed herself to fall apart.

Tate would help her put her pieces back together when she was ready.

And knowing that helped.

Tate looked up as Matt came back into the room after he’d put the girls down to sleep. He’d have called his brother as well, she knew.

He waved her to sit. “Going to start the tea and warm milk. You should get off your feet.”

She smiled his way. “I’m fine. The nausea is nearly all gone. I can heat water and milk, you know.”

He stalked over, kissed her and gently but firmly sat her down. “I’ll tell you what I know if you rest.”

“You fight dirty for such a pretty man.”

“How else can I manage my wife?” He winked. “Beth said Joe’s dad went crazy at the Sands and that he rushed her. Joe ran him down to keep him from harming her and they both went out the big front window.”

“Holy f**k.” Whoops, her f**k problem tended to come out when she was really upset. Thank goodness the girls were down. “Sorry. What did Shane say?”