They yelled at the same time, and relief made Britt feel a little wobbly.

The sounds got louder, and within seconds, a frantic-looking Chad burst through the trees, running straight for them.

For a split second, Britt worried that he was being chased. But she didn’t see anyone behind him. She realized it was relief that made him look so out of control.

He ran up to them and reached for his mom. Britt wasn’t offended in the least. She recalled what Evelyn had said about her children being mama’s boys and realized how right she was. The relief Chad’s body language projected was clear.

He pulled back and looked his mom in the eyes as he asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. We’re fine,” Evelyn said with a huge grin on her face.

Then Chad turned to Britt. The next second, she was in his arms, and he was squeezing her so hard it was almost painful. But it was a good pain. She held him just as tightly.

Since escaping from the cabin, she hadn’t allowed herself to think about how stressed and afraid she was. How she might protect Evelyn if Camden found them. But now that Chad was there, she could let some of the responsibility for Evelyn and the situation go. He’d take control.

She began to shake, unable to stop.

Being in Chad’s arms made her feel safe.

At last. She’d always felt safe with him, even that first day when he was a stranger who’d invited her back to his house.

Most normal people would’ve immediately said no and gone on with their lives.

But instead, she’d felt an innate trust in Chad. And he hadn’t let her down. Not once.

“Britt,” he whispered into the crook of her neck, where he’d buried his face. To her surprise, she realized Chad was shaking too. He might be a strong, relentless protector, but it was more than obvious how emotional he was that they were all right.

“I’m okay,” she told him.

It took several long moments before either was able to let go of the other. The relief they felt, the overwhelming emotions coursing through their veins, made it impossible to speak, to do anything other than hold each other.

When Chad finally lifted his head, Britt saw that his eyes were filled with tears. Evelyn’s words came back to her once more. She’d done an amazing job teaching her children that emotion wasn’t a bad thing. “I love you,” she told him.

“Not more than I love you,” he countered. Then he took a deep breath, framed her face in his hands the way he loved to do, and kissed her. It was a long, soft kiss. It wasn’t passionate, it was a sensual sharing of relief, love, and respect between a man and a woman.

“I give it two months,” Evelyn said from behind them, sounding extremely satisfied.

“Two months for what?” Chad asked, turning to his mom but keeping an arm around Britt’s waist.

“Nothing. Just an inside thing between Britt and me.”

Britt found herself rolling her eyes. She knew exactly what Evelyn was referring to. The thought of getting pregnant in the next two months was overwhelming and ridiculous ... but then, she recalled how Chad had forgotten to use a condom that very morning.

Maybe her prediction wasn’t that far off after all.

“Can you two walk? Are you okay going back to the cabin? I can run back and get help if I need to. The police should be there by now.”

Britt blinked. She hadn’t even thought to ask him what was happening back at the cabin. She’d been so relieved to see him, she didn’t even think about Camden. “The police? Where’s Camden? He was the one who took us,” she belatedly told him.

“We know. Victor called me and said he saw you hanging on for your life in the bed of his truck.”

“ Victor called you?” Evelyn asked.

“Yeah. I was surprised too. He might be an asshole, but he seemed genuinely concerned. When the police arrived at Lobster Cove, they found Walt hurt but alive. Then Otis showed up while we were all there trying to figure out where Camden could’ve taken you.

He told us about the cabin. We got here as soon as we could. ”

“Otis told you about the cabin?” Britt asked, shocked.

“With a little encouragement, yes. Now, can you two walk? Or do I need to go get help?”

“We can walk,” Evelyn said firmly.

“It’s okay to need help now and then,” Chad said softly to his mom.

“I realize that. And when I need help, I’ll ask for it. Now, lead the way, son. I need to pee, and I’m not doing it in these woods again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chad said with a small chuckle. He took Britt’s hand in his and squeezed before dropping it and turning to his mom. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he began leading them back through the woods, toward the cabin they’d escaped what seemed like days ago.

Britt could only smile as she walked behind mother and son. It melted her heart to see Chad so worried about his mother. She was glad he was helping her, not coddling her.

She had a flash of their future. Of Chad teaching his own sons to love and respect their mother .

.. her . She hadn’t been sure she wanted children so soon, but now?

With Chad? She definitely did. Because she knew without a doubt he wouldn’t leave her.

That she wouldn’t have to try to raise a child on her own like her mother did.

Life was full of ups and downs, but it was all the good things that happened that made any bad times seem not quite so awful.

There were still a lot of unknowns about the future, about what would happen with Otis and Camden, about whether Walt would be okay, about the financial stability of Lobster Cove after all the money that had been stolen.

But Britt had no doubt the Young brothers would band together and persevere.

They were stronger together than they were on their own. And she felt blessed to be able to be a part of it.

It was almost two in the morning, but no one seemed ready to leave Lobster Cove. They’d received word that Walt would be fine. He was staying in the hospital tonight but was already chomping at the bit to get home ... and back to the shop.

Camden and Otis had both been transported to the Knox County jail. Otis was cooperating fully with authorities, while his son was protesting his innocence, blaming everything on his father.

Chad hated that both his mom and Britt would be dealing with what happened for months to come, with the inevitable court appearances and meetings with the DA. But to his relief, both women seemed to be handling what happened to them with amazing resiliency.

The living room of the main house was currently full of people, despite the late hour.

All his brothers were there, as was Barry.

Chad was on the couch with Britt snuggled into his side.

She was exhausted, but she insisted she didn’t want to go upstairs yet.

The more time that passed since he’d found her, the more bruises and scrapes appeared on her pale skin. The same with his mother.

It infuriated Chad. He wished he could get to Camden and beat the shit out of him again.

He’d heard the entire story of what happened when his mom met with the officers at the Calverts’ cabin.

Both she and Britt would have to go to the station tomorrow for an official interview, but from what he understood, Camden had come to Lobster Cove, stopping at the auto shop first and taking Walt out of commission so he couldn’t come to their mom’s assistance.

Then he’d driven up to the house as brazen as ever and walked straight inside. He’d grabbed Evelyn by the arm and dragged her out, not even pretending he was there to talk, to beg her to reconsider pressing charges against his dad.

It was hard to believe that none of the Youngs had even known about Camden’s criminal history.

The fact that he’d done time for involuntary manslaughter was a huge shock.

Apparently, the man had a violent streak that simmered just under the surface, and when the chance arose for him to take revenge on the Young family, he’d acted.

Britt had seen Camden shoving Evelyn into his truck, and she’d tried to stop him. It was stupid ... and brave as hell. And Chad couldn’t be more proud of her.

Hearing about Britt’s harrowing trip to the cabin in the bed of Camden’s truck made Chad nauseous.

She could’ve easily been thrown out and badly hurt or killed.

And when his mom and Britt heard that Victor had not only called Chad but also gone to Lobster Cove to check on Walt—and called for help after finding him injured—they were both floored.

Britt more so than his mom; Evelyn always said the man hadn’t always been the grump he was today.

“I’m going to head out,” Barry finally announced with a yawn. “Ms. Evelyn, I’m so glad you’re all right. You too, Britt. I’ll be here bright and early to see what’s what at the shop.”

“I can help,” Zach offered.

But Barry shook his head. “No, you’re busy with your lobster shack.”

“I’ve got it,” Chad said.

Barry smiled. “If I know Walt, he’ll probably stop by tomorrow afternoon after he’s discharged.”

“Stupid old goat,” Lincoln mumbled. “He’ll take a week off if we have to hog-tie him to his bed.”

Everyone laughed.

With that, Barry nodded at everyone and headed for the door.

After he’d left, Evelyn cleared her throat. “There’s something I want to say.”

Chad looked over at his mom. She was sitting in what he considered “her” chair.

A light-brown recliner that had definitely seen better days but she insisted was “perfectly fine” and that she’d “finally broken in” to be exactly how she liked it.

She had a blanket over her lap, the blue fuzzy robe that she’d had for as long as Chad could remember wrapped around her, and a cup of tea sitting on the small table to her left.

She looked relaxed and happy ... but he couldn’t shake the image of her crawling out of that filthy cabin through a hole she and Britt had made with their bare hands.