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He’d spent most of his school years looking out for her and fighting her battles when he could. He’d honed his protective Alpha instincts from an early age and hadn’t looked back.
    He didn’t begrudge his sisters or mom anything. Abe loved being the man in the family. He’d never really known his father. Even though Susie was nine years younger than him, his dad hadn’t been around much. There was a reason, but it wasn’t one he liked to think about.
    His dad would be around for a while, then he’d be gone for a month or more. When he’d come back his mom hadn’t seemed to care. Abe wasn’t even really sure what he’d done for a living. A part of him felt bad about that.
    All he knew was when he was eleven his mom took him aside and told him his dad had passed away. He tried not to think about what his dad had done to his mom…and him. He knew his father’s actions were why he was the way he was today and Abe figured some psychologist would have a field day analyzing him and his protective personality. They’d link it back to his dad, and try to get him to talk about it, but he was who he was and he wasn’t going to change.
    Abe had always looked after his family. Family was the most important thing in his life and he’d protect them to the end of his days. Nothing was more important than his sisters and mom. Abe once brought a woman home for a family dinner and at the end of the night knew the relationship was over. His date had been rude and hadn’t veiled her contempt at his mom’s homeliness. He knew he turned sappy when he was around his sisters and mom, but he loved them more than anything and he’d be damned if anyone would feel it was all right to belittle that. He’d dumped her on the way home and wouldn’t listen to her attempts at explaining her words had come out wrong.
    He hoped like hell Alabama would get along with his family. It was way too early to be thinking anywhere along those lines, but Abe couldn’t help it. He knew he’d bring her around to meet them before too long. He hated it was a test of sorts, but he was getting old enough now to want what he wanted and the hell with anyone who thought he was inflexible.
    Abe was ready to have someone of his own, especially after seeing Caroline and Matthew and how happy they were. He hadn’t even thought about Adelaide being his. He’d known he was biding his time with her. Adelaide was good in bed and had been enough for him. Other than her being catty and pretentious, he hadn’t even known what it was that really bothered him about her or any other relationship he’d been in.
    It struck Abe in the middle of that inferno with flames licking at the walls and the air in the room running out—what it was that made Alabama different from any other woman he’d ever dated. Abe’s entire life he’d taken care of others. He didn’t begrudge anyone that, it was the way he was. It was second nature for him to open doors, buckle a woman’s seatbelt, pull out chairs, and basically be courteous and helpful. Abe’s job with the SEALs only reinforced that protectiveness. He was always the one rushing in to save someone else. He performed best on missions where they’d been sent in to save someone’s life or rescue them. It was his job, his duty, and he did it well.
    But Alabama’s simple act of taking the time to douse him with water and find a coat to cover him up with floored him. Alabama startled the hell out of him when she’d dumped the pitcher of water on his head, but luckily he’d known immediately what she was doing. He’d never have forgiven himself if he’d retaliated against her for thinking she was a threat.
    But what sealed the deal for Abe was when they were crawling across the floor and Alabama had reached back and handed him something to breathe through. She hadn’t said anything; she hadn’t wanted anything from him. She’d simply acted to do something for him. That was it.
    Abe doubted she even realized how