He straightened and Bud scrambled off the bed.

“Hey, Bud, you good?” Slim asked.

Mitch looked down at him and watched him nod.

“Wanna take my hand?” Slim asked, extending his own.

Bud looked at it.

Then he lifted his hand closest to Mitch and Mitch felt his fingers curl into the belt on his jeans.

“I’m good,” Bud whispered to Slim.

“Right,” Slim replied quietly, reached out his extended hand and tousled Bud’s hair.

“Let’s go get Mara,” Mitch muttered and moved out of the room, Billie in his arms held close to his chest, Bud moving close to his side, his hand still latched onto Mitch’s belt.

* * *

Mitch’s cell phone rang.

It didn’t wake him. He had not been sleeping, not even to doze.

He opened his eyes.

Upon opening his eyes, over the shining, dark hair of Billie’s head, he saw Mara’s head on her pillow, her eyes open and alert on him.

She hadn’t slept either.

He already knew that.

He rolled away from Billie who was sleeping cradled between them and on his roll he saw Bud pop up on the other side of Mara.

She’d made them sleep all together in her bed. When they arrived at the Chaos compound, he saw she’d been holding it together. She continued to hold it together as she checked over the kids and Mitch. She lost it when they got home and demanded they all sleep together.

Billie was still out and Bud and Mitch both saw the wisdom of giving into her demand. She needed that, they gave it to her.

It was good she had a king-size bed.

Mitch twisted, grabbed his phone from the nightstand, looked at his display, flipped it open and put it to his ear.

He then threw back the covers and said, “Yeah,” into the phone as he turned back, shaking his head at Mara and Bud.

Then he walked out of the room as Eddie Chavez spoke into his ear.

“Someone wants a word. Thinkin’ you’ll wanna give it to him.”

Mitch closed the door behind him and walked into Mara’s living room. Weak light was coming from around her blinds. It was just after dawn.

“Right,” he said into the phone.

“Hang on,” Chavez muttered.

Mitch went to the back of Mara’s new couch. Then he leaned into it, his eyes to the hall.

And there she was in another one of her sweet nighties. She followed him.

“Lawson?” he heard in his ear.

Bill.

“Yeah,” he answered as he watched Mara move to him.

Fuck, that nightie was sweet.

But the look on her face was not.

He felt the burn in his chest as he stretched his toward her and he battled to lock it down.

They were home. Safe. No injuries.

Safe.

Home.

She moved directly into his space and he curled his arm around her, bringing her even closer.

She settled her weight into him.

Bill spoke.

“Detective Chavez says they’re good.”

“They are,” Mitch confirmed.

No reply.

Mitch was tired and he had his woman and children to think about. Today was most definitely a fucking donut day. He needed to make a donut run. He didn’t need to waste time on an assclown.

“We done?” he prompted.

“Tell her to send me the papers.”

Mitch’s body tightened and he felt Mara’s tighten against his as her hand settled on his tee-covered chest.

“What?”

“Mara,” Bill stated. “Tell her to send me the papers to give her permanent custody of the kids. I’ll sign ‘em.”

“You’ll relinquish all claim?” Mitch asked then heard and felt Mara’s indrawn breath.

There was a pause then a quiet, “Yeah.”

“Now and forever, Winchell,” Mitch declared.

Another pause then quieter, “Yeah.”

“Say it,” Mitch ordered.

Another pause then a whispered, “Now and forever, Lawson.”

“Right,” Mitch clipped. “Now we’re done.”

“Lawson?” Bill called quickly.

“What?”

Another pause then, “Give ‘em a good life.”

“Already am,” Mitch replied.

“Mara too.”

Mitch made no reply and closed his eyes.

“Promise me that, for them, for Mara, give them a good life.”

Mitch opened his eyes and looked down at his woman, felt her soft body against his, her hand light on his chest, trust, love and hope shining in her eyes.

Jesus, she was beautiful. Never, not in his life, had he seen anything as beautiful as she was right then.

“I promise,” he replied.

“Thanks, dude,” Bill whispered.

Mitch flipped his phone closed.

“Bill?” Mara asked instantly.

“He wants us to send the papers.”

She closed her eyes and did a face plant in his tee as her arms wound around his middle.

Mitch tossed his phone on the couch and curled his arms around her.

He again felt her pull in a soft breath.

Then she moved her head so her cheek was against his chest.

“We need to go see Penny and Evan,” she said quietly.

“She’s fine, Evan’s fine. Told you that already, baby. They’re good. They’re more worried about you and the kids than you are about them.”

“We need to go see them,” Mara semi-repeated.

“All right, sweetheart, after donuts,” Mitch relented.

She fell silent.

Then she asked softly, “Is it over?”

“It’s over.”

“You’re sure?”

“It’s over, honey.”

Mara fell silent again.

She was mulling it over. He knew she’d do that and then trust him.

And he loved that about her.

Then she turned her head so her forehead was pressed to his chest, her arms went tight around him and she whispered, “I love you, Detective Mitchell James Lawson.”

There it was. She’d mulled it over and trusted him.

Mitch dropped his head and, lips to her fucking fantastic-smelling hair, he whispered, “I love you too, Marabelle Jolene Hanover.”

Mara held onto Mitch and Mitch held onto Mara.

Then there was a flurry of rapid movement, Mitch tensed and looked up to see Billie flying toward them, arms in the air, hands waving. Bud was standing, leaning against the wall at the mouth of the hall.

Billie’s little body collided with both of theirs and she threw her arms around their hips, tipping her head way back, she screeched, “Donuts!”

Someone had been eavesdropping.

Mitch looked at Bud.

Bud was smiling a crooked smile.

Mitch grinned at his boy.

Then he looked down at his girl.

“Donuts,” he confirmed.

Billie jumped up and down, shaking Mitch with Mara as she did then she disengaged and ran back from where she came, hands again waving in the air, mouth again screeching, “Donuts!”

“Teflon.” He heard Mara murmur and felt her body shaking against his.

Mitch moved his eyes from a still crookedly smiling Bud to look down at Mara who now had her head tipped back and she was smiling too.

He’d lied to her the first time her ass was in his truck.

Her smile was totally wonky.

Just like Billie’s.

And just like Billie’s, it lit up the room.

Beautiful.

So beautiful he had no choice.

He bent his head, put his mouth to hers and kissed it from her lips.

* * *

Two days later…

When Mitch walked into Pierson’s Mattress and Bed, he saw Mara, Roberta and two other sales associates with customers and there were a number more customers milling about the store.

Roberta’s customer was a woman.

Mara’s was a man.

Mitch sighed, gave his woman a chin lift, took her return smile and gave her friend a low wave. Then his eyes went to the window at the back of the store.

Bob was standing at the window looking out at him.

Mitch wound his way through the displays and by the time he hit the door to the back hall, Bob was standing in it.

“You got a minute?” Mitch asked quietly.

Bob nodded and threw an arm out behind him indicating Mitch should precede him.

Mitch did so and Bob followed.

Bob had given Mara the day off after the drama but she’d gone in the next two days although Bob told her she didn’t have to.

She explained this by saying, “Honey, I have four mouths to feed. It’s paid time off but my pay is nothing to my commissions.”

“Four?” Mitch had asked.

“Bud, Billie, you and me,” she stated.

“You got help with that,” he reminded her.

“I know.” She smiled then reminded him, “We’re a team and I can’t let down the side. Anyway, commissions and a future without attorney’s fees means more little black dresses.”

At that, he let it go.

She didn’t need the commissions. She needed normalcy.

Mitch gave it to her.

Further, he was looking forward to a future that included a selection of little black dresses.

And the truth of the matter was, Bob needed Mara. It was still the summer madness sale not to mention news coverage about what happened at Pierson’s had been extensive. Though, luckily, considering the operation to find Bud and Billie had been unofficial, the media had not stumbled onto that information and Mara and the kids did not factor into the story.

Although Bob’s warehouse was blocked by yellow police tape, the police were still sifting through it and his stock would likely not be released for a while, this did not keep the customers away. In fact, Mara told Mitch it was a madhouse and the customers were happy to wait for the release of stock in order to have their mattress from the now infamous Pierson’s Mattress and Bed.