Something disturbed the air behind her.

She turned. Van (human Van) was standing a few feet away, looking just as he had been before he’d shifted, clothes and all. “You’re back.”

“I am.”

Happy to see his smiling face again, she ran toward him. “Not that you left exactly, but you know what I mean.”

“I do.” He moved toward her, no limp in sight, and caught her in his arms. “It is so good to be whole again. And free from that poison. Thank you.”

She frowned. “Why are you thanking me? You did the hard stuff. And it was Pandora’s idea for you to try shifting again.”

“Because I would still be sulking and in pain, thinking my life was over, if not for you.”

“Glad to hear you enjoyed my interference so much.”

He laughed and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “I did. Now, let’s thank everyone and go home. We have a trip to prepare for.”

“And a fight,” she reminded him. “You need to be as ready for that fight as you can be. If anything happens to you, I won’t ever forgive myself.”

“Nothing will happen. I am healed. And I will be ready.” He released her and took her hand, then he faced Pandora and her sisters. “Thank you so much for urging me to do this.” He looked at some of the others. “Thank you all for your support.”

The sheriff and a few others nodded.

Van put his free hand over his heart as he spoke to them all. “I am very glad to call this place my home.”

“Good to have you back,” Nick Hardwin called out.

Van pointed at him as the rest of the crowd began to disperse. “Soon, we will go flying.”

“Sounds good,” Nick said, grinning. “But don’t forget, you owe me tickets to a fight.”

Van nodded. “Then get ready to travel, because it’s happening in four days.”

Monalisa shivered.

Van looked at her. “You all right?”

“I’m fine. It’s just the realization that, besides you having to get into the ring again, I’m going to have to face my father.”

“Remember, we are a team now. You don’t have to do anything alone anymore.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you. Come on, Grom is probably dancing at the door waiting to go out.”

Van’s mouth opened. “Grom. Who will watch him while we’re gone?”

“What about Bridget? She is sort of his people, after all.”

“Hah, very good. I will call her.”

By the time they got back to the house, Monalisa had been silent a long while. Van knew it was because she was worried about seeing her father again and dealing with him. He didn’t know how to make her believe that everything would be okay, but he felt it in his gut.

He would also do everything in his power to make it true. Power that was fairly substantial, given that he could shift again. Winning the fight would be easy.

Not easy, exactly, but there would be no distractions, and if necessary, he would shift and put Ronan down fast.

He’d never done it before, as a matter of balance and fairness, but this fight wasn’t about that. It was about getting Monalisa free.

Maybe if they made a plan, she would feel better. They needed to do it anyway, to be on the same page when they got to Vegas. Her father would have to be dealt with carefully so that they each got the results they wanted.

He resolved that the plan would be the next order of business as soon as they got inside.

They went up the porch steps. He unlocked the door and stood back. Grom came rushing out, as Van expected. He caught the dog in his arms, lifting the squirming, wriggling animal for a bear hug. “Missed us, did you?”

Monalisa laughed and scratched Grom’s back. “I think he missed you.”

Grom twisted around and licked her on the face, making Van laugh. “See? It was both of us.”

“Ew, okay.” Still laughing, she wiped at the slobber.

Van put Grom down. The dog took off for the yard, but instead of his usual marathon around the house, he did his business promptly, then jogged up onto the porch and right back inside.

“I guess he’s had enough of the snow,” Monalisa said.

Van looked out at his property and the blanket of white. “I am not so fond of it either.”

“You grew up in Russia. Isn’t it all-snow-all-the-time there?”

He laughed. “Yes, there is a lot of snow in certain parts. Especially where I grew up. Maybe that is why I am tired of it.”

“Spring will be here soon enough.” She leaned into him. “Too bad it’s not here now, though. I bet it’s beautiful here in the spring and summer. All green and flowery, right?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Very different than what you’re used to.”

“Very. Everything can get pretty brown in the desert.” She sighed. “I hope I’m here in the spring to see it.”

He put his arm around her. “You will be, zolotse. I promise.”

But Monalisa wasn’t going to hold him to that promise. That wouldn’t be fair, because it wasn’t one he could keep. Her father was a stubborn man who only wanted what was best for himself. She doubted bringing Van back for the rematch would be enough to earn her the coin that was rightfully hers, no matter how optimistically she wanted to think. And without that coin, without the freedom that came with it, there was no way she could know where she’d be by spring.