During that time in Portis City, Ste couldn''t stop thinking-if she ever had the chance to go back to the Quinn family, she''d never leave again. If anyone ever dared to threaten her again, well, she''d make sure they regretted it. No one really knew how crushingly lonely Ste had been during her days in Portis City.


    Ronald asked her, "So, you''lle back after the baby''s born?”


    "No way," Ste pouted, her lips jutting out in that stubborn way. She t-out refused to move out-she wanted to stay right there with her mom and her sister. Ronald felt another headacheing on.


    "You know, if your momes back, we''ll have to sleep in separate rooms. You sure about this?"


    Ste just grinned. "You could always sneak in through the window!"


    Ronald stared. "Climb through the window?!"


    Yeah, right.


    Honestly, Ronald and Ste were in that sweet, can''t-stand-to-be-apart phase, and the idea of sleeping in different rooms was torture. He tried everything to coax her into moving out with him-he just wanted a space for the two of them, their own little world.


    Meanwhile, on Susanna''s side of things...


    Hull had given up on training her. Ss and Barnaby stood in one of the wooden cabins and watched from the window as Hull gently scooped Susanna up and carried her over to a deck chair on the beach.


    Barnaby nudged Ss. "Didn''t big bro used to say you gotta be tough, gotta push yourself?"


    "So what''s this now? No more training?"


    Ss shot him a look, tired of Barnaby''s constant need for gossip. "I think our brother''s decided to protect her himself now."


    Back when Hull and Susanna weren''t officially together, and the ck Gate was still a nightmare, Hull had insisted Susanna learn to protect herself—she needed to survive on her own before going back to that hellhole.


    But things were different now. Susanna was Hull''s girl. As long as she could throw a punch or two, maybe run fast if she had to, that was enough. Hull would handle the rest.


    Barnaby stroked his chin, mulling that over. "Guess he finally gets it. Looks like we''re about to be nannies, huh."


    "Nannies?" Ss''s eye twitched, rm bells ringing in his head.


    "Yeah. Big bro didn''t even make her take her meds," Barnaby said, matter-of-fact.


    Ss stared. Did this mean... taking care of a baby?


    "Don''t worry, he''ll probably hire a professional," Ss muttered, more to himself. Barnaby snorted. "When has he ever trusted anyone from the outside?"


    For a second, Barnaby actually sounded smart.


    Ss couldn''t deny it. Hull never trusted outsiders. That''s why his mansion didn''t even have a maid.


    "So I guess we''re really going to have to learn how to take care of a baby," Barnaby said, a bit too excited.


    Ss groaned. "It''s not toote. Maybe she''s not even pregnant yet."


    "Then you can be the one to learn all that baby stuff," Barnaby shot back.


    "Big bro trusts you most. He''s always said I''m the dumb one."


    Great. Just great. Two of


    Ferrond''s most notorious tough guys, now discussing diaper changes and bottle feeding. Who''d believe it?


    Out on the beach, Susanna had twisted her ankle-badly. It was already swelling up, and when Bull gently touched it, she yelpedo "Qw-ow, ow, ow!"


    Hull''s face darkened. "It''s out of ce. I have to pop it back in. Hold on."


    Susanna''s eyes widened. "Wh-what do you mean, pop it—?"


    Before she could finish, there was a sharp crack, followed by her scream.


    "AHHH-"


    Oh, God, that hurt. She never wanted to see her foot again.


    From the cabin, all Ss and Barnaby could see was Hull''s back as he leaned


    over Susanna. Then they heard her scream.


    Ss winced. Barnaby''s eyes went


    said,


    wide. After a moment, Barnaby "Yeah, better start learning those


    care basics. Fast."