It was barely past dawn, and the rain hadn’t let up since midnight. The soft patter against the windows, the distant rumble of thunder—it was the kind of morning that begged for staying in bed. But Dom was already up, rocking his baby daughter against his chest, murmuring low in his throat as he swayed in the dim glow of the kitchen.

She was the fussiest of his four, always waking up at the ass crack of dawn, and he didn’t mind one bit. The others were still asleep, tucked away in their rooms, leaving the house wrapped in that quiet, sleepy warmth.

Knock, knock, knock.

Dom frowned, shifting his daughter in his arms as he glanced at the clock. Who the hell—

He moved to the door, careful not to jostle the baby, and pulled it open. And there you were.

Standing in the rain, shoulders tense, hood pulled up, and holding a six-pack like it was the only thing keeping you tethered to the earth.

Fuck.

You didn’t answer right away. Just stood there, water dripping from your sleeves, staring at him like you hadn’t thought this far ahead.

Dom exhaled through his nose, stepping back. “C’mon in. You’re gonna scare the neighbors standing there like a horror movie extra.”