“No.” Paul crossed his arms and glared, and to Brody’s surprise, Elise glared right back.

“Elise, we just want to help. It’s clear you’re upset.” Brody slid a hand up and down her spine and she relaxed a bit.

“You can’t. Okay? You can’t. No one can right now. I need to go and watch Rennie.”

Her father stepped in her way, taking care not to grab her. Christ, what the hell had gone on to make her so fearful? Just imagining it made Brody sick with rage. Any man who’d harm a woman was a coward; any man who’d harm this woman made Brody want to pound him.

“Your mother is right there with her. Is Rennie in danger somehow? We can’t help if we don’t know the details. Don’t do this, bebe. Don’t shut people out. You don’t have to shoulder everything on your own. You’re my daughter. I . . . I didn’t protect you before. I didn’t protect Matthias. Let me help.”

Anguish marked her normally pretty features. “This isn’t about Matty. He was a drug addict; he made his own disastrous path to hell. It’s not about you either. Fuck. Fuck!”

Brody had rarely heard her say anything worse than a mild curse. She shook, and sweat sheened on her forehead. Something was really wrong, and he wanted nothing more than to make it okay.

“Daddy, I’m hanging on here by my fingernails. I can’t do this right now.” Her voice broke and Paul hugged her briefly.

He spoke very softly, and Brody’s heart ached even as anger coursed through him for her and at her. Why the hell wasn’t she hugging him? Why was she holding back?

She stepped back and worked to get herself together. Brody didn’t leave her side. “Just don’t let anyone take Rennie anywhere. Keep an eye. Anyone but our friends comes here and I want to know it.”

Brody traced a fingertip down her temple. “No one will harm her. I swear to you.”

She looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes, and he hurt with her, for her.

“It’s them, isn’t it? Those f**king Sorensons.” Paul snagged her attention again, and she looked back to her father.

A sigh came from her lips so deep Brody felt the exhaustion seep from her,. “Yes. They want to take her. They’re trying to take her from me.”

Take her? Take Rennie from Elise? Over his dead body.

Paul took her forearms and put his forehead to hers. “It won’t happen. Bebe, it’s going to be fine. You won’t do this on your own.”

Damn right she wouldn’t.

“Mom! Are you sick?” Rennie came bounding up and Brody caught her, bringing her into a hug. She wrapped herself around him like a monkey and stayed, so he kept holding her. Liking the weight of her. Irene Sorenson had worked her way into his heart, and he wasn’t going to let anyone take her anywhere.

Elise looked up at her daughter, faking a pretty good calm face. “I think I ate too much junk, Noodle. I’m all right. Pops was just giving me a hug to make me feel better.”

Elise’s entire face lit every time she looked at her daughter. Obviously from what she’d said to her father, this had something to do with custody. Brody knew Elise, knew she adored her child and was dedicated to her, as much as Rennie adored her mother right back. This must be killing her. Hell, it was killing him and Rennie wasn’t even his.

Rennie, still perched in Brody’s arms, looked toward her mother. “I think Brody needs to give you a hug too. That always makes you happy. Your cheeks turn pink.”

Just like they were right then. Brody didn’t bother hiding a smile, and Paul shook his head, grinning at his granddaughter.

“Come with me. I see your gran over there near the ice cream. Have you had any yet?” Paul asked Rennie.

“Only one scoop. That’s not hardly nothing. I’m a growing girl and all.”

“Isn’t hardly anything. And no more ice cream. Don’t give me that look, Irene. You puke when you eat too much. You know my stand on vomit,” Elise said and shuddered.

“We don’t invite the pukey sick in!” Rennie took Brody’s cheeks between her hands and smooched him noisily, and he couldn’t seem to remember a time when he didn’t love this little girl. She hugged his neck one more time and scrambled down and into her mother’s waiting arms.

“We don’t, because Momma is a vomit-phobe,” Elise spoke into Rennie’s hair as she held her.

“Rennie, we need a goalie!” Nina hollered from the street.

Rennie’s head, which had been resting on her mother’s shoulder, shot up, her eyes bright. “Gotta run, guys. The team needs me.”

Elise sat on the bottom porch step, her eyes still on her daughter.

“I’m going to be expecting all the details later on,” Paul said, a grim look on his face. “There’s no way this is going to happen. Those Sorensons need a wake-up call. Think they can push my daughter and granddaughter around. Not happening. Not again.” He kissed the top of her head before he stomped off toward where the kids played soccer.

Brody sat next to her, sliding an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. “I’m giving you a pass because I can see how upset you are and I don’t want you to lose it in front of Rennie. But don’t think that means I don’t expect to hear everything.”

She heaved a breath. “I gotta tell you, Brody, I’m pretty done with being managed.”

“Tough shit, Shorty. I’m not managing you, anyway. I’m asking you to share what is going on so I can help.”