Page 111 of Aine

“You look beautiful,” he says. “You have a good head shape.”

I crack a smile, the reaction genuine.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

DAMIEN

Aine hesitates asshe stares at the plate of pasta I’ve set in front of her.

I block off my disappointment as I gesture for her to eat, not wanting her to get the wrong idea should she sense the emotion. The old Aine would’ve dug right in, and her sudden trepidation has me wanting to sink my teeth into Owen’s flesh one more time.

“Eat,” I whisper.

Her body seems to glitch as she jumps, her thoughts lost in her mind as she grabs her fork. I want to know what’s she’s thinking but accept she’s not going to be ready to share that for a long while.

Alex and Olivia tiptoe downstairs as Aine shoves a tiny bite of food into her mouth, and I nod in their direction to let them know it’s okay to come in. I’m grateful when they keep quiet, and I watch them move around the kitchen preparing food for themselves.

“So, Alex,” I start, wanting to give Aine something to be excited about, “there was something you wanted to tell us?”

Alex looks surprised as he wraps his arm around Olivia’s waist and pulls her into his side. Even Aine pauses her eating to watch, her face reddening as Alex presses a wet kiss to Olivia’s temple. I know he wasn’t planning to bring up their marking out of respect for Aine’s trauma, but I think she’ll like this.

Alex and Olivia have been friends for years, always sneaking around causing trouble, and I’ve had suspicions about their true feelings toward one another for a while now. It wasn’t until Alex offered for her to stay at his house so I could have a date with Aine that it was confirmed. He hates having people over and was suspiciously excited to have her spend the night.

I’m slightly embarrassed knowing Aine can sense how eager I am for them to say it, but I let her feel it anyway. I can tell it brings her comfort to feel my emotions.

“Yes,” Alex finally says, a giddy expression taking over his features. “Olivia agreed to move into my home as my chosen mate.”

I turn to Aine, wanting to see her reaction. Her lips tilt upward in the corners as she struggles to hold back a grin, her visible happiness bringing a cheesy smile to my face.

“I’m happy for you,” I respond truthfully, holding back my jealousy as I watch Alex spin Olivia and bundle her into his arms. I want that with Aine.

My smile returns when I shift my focus to my mate, unsurprised as her head bobs over her food. She’s clearly exhausted, and with a low sigh, I decide to let it go. She hasn’t eaten nearly as much as I’d like, but I’ll make her a big breakfast tomorrow to make up for it.

My own movements are sluggish as I slide off the stool and scoop her in my arms. She jolts awake as I wrap my limbs around her, her unbearable fear filling the room as she searches for the source of the touch.

Her body relaxes when she realizes it’s just me.

I try not to dwell on her fear as I carry her upstairs. My beast urges me to place her in my bed, but I don’t want to push that on her.I love her desire to keep me close, but I know it’s important for her to learn to be comfortable by herself. Owen’s broken her in ways I can’t even imagine.

It’s going to take a while for her to see beyond it.

With a deep sigh and every ounce of willpower I have, I carry her into her bedroom instead of my own. Her eyes blink open as I pull back her sheets and lower her onto the mattress, her body so weak, she’s like a limp doll in my arms.

Old strands of her long hair stick to the sheets, and I stop to pick up all the pieces I can find so she doesn’t see them and grow sad. She falls back asleep as I continue to grab the thin hairs, her mouth wide open as quiet snores slip from her lips.

I enjoy the sound of them and listen happily as I clean her brush and grab every strand of hair I can find. My beast approves of my actions and urges me to get on the floor and hunt around the rug for them, and I’m all too eager do so.

My head feels heavy as I get on all fours and search, and only when I’m sure I have all the hair do I stand back up. I press a small kiss to Aine’s forehead and pull the sheets to her neck, careful not to wake her.

I keep our doors open and turn on all the nightlights before haphazardly peeling off my clothing and crawling into bed. It creaks under my weight, and I don’t bother getting under the sheets as I sprawl on the mattress.

I shift so I can peer through our doorways and stare at Aine’s form under the covers, wanting to keep a close eye on her. Tomorrow I need to speak to my men and learn where they’re keeping Owen.

They were under strict orders to keep him out of Aine’s vision and hearing as they dragged him back, and I’ll most enjoy torturing him until Aine’s in a position to decide what she wants done with him.

I doubt there’ll be much of him left by the time she’s ready to make that decision, but I’ll make sure to keep him alive until she is. I hope she lets me kill him, but I’ll support her if she decides she wants to do it herself.

Either way, he’ll die.

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