Nathan shook his head. “No, Lily. Whatever it is, we’re going to fix it. Together.”

Taking a deep breath, Lily began to explain. The story spilled out in halting words, punctuated by choked sobs. Their mother had been seeing someone new, a man who seemed charming at first but quickly showed a darker side. He’d become possessive and controlling, his temper flaring over the smallest things. It wasn’t long before his anger turned physical, and Lily had been caught in the crossfire.

Nathan felt a surge of rage unlike anything he’d known. He had been trained to deal with threats, to face danger head-on, yet this was different. This was personal. His family was his world, and someone had dared to harm them.