Page 104 of Daughters of Chaos

The breath that I was holding suddenly feels lighter in my chest. I let it go with a long huff, closing my eyes as a few stray tears fall to the bed. "I wish you never had to go through any of it," I whisper.

Rae grips my wrist, leveling me with a look. "It's over now. No need to dwell on it. The Bastards are dead. They can't hurt us anymore."

I nod, unable to speak. The tension from earlier starts to ease. There's so much more I want to ask, but I'd rather wait to askthosequestions when the guys aren't around. Especially the mountain of a man sitting on Raven's other side. He's closer to her now, looking like he wants to pull her into his arms. It's such a contrast to how they used to act around each other.

My mind is still trying to wrap itself around that when the door bursts open. I turn to see Dad and Hammer filling the doorway. Someone must have told them Rae was awake.

Dad's eyes are glassy as he looks at Raven. He takes several steps closer before he notices Reaper on the bed next to her.I watch as his eyes narrow and a thousand questions race through his mind. His expression is unreadable as he takes in his enforcer's proximity to Rae.

I glance back at Mason. He's watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. None of us know how this will play out, but the tension that dissipated only moments ago is back with a vengeance. We watch as the two grown men stare one another down. To Reaper's credit, he doesn't back down or cower from Dad's glare. He doesn't even move further from Rae. Instead, he holds his ground, meeting his leader's stare with fiery resolve.

Dad wasn't thrilled to hear when Mason and I started dating, so I can imagine what's running through his mind right now. The way Reaper positioned himself around Rae is more than just protective.If Dad only knew what we walked in on a little while ago.

"Dad," Rae's voice snaps everyone's attention to her. It's the first time she's acknowledged our father that way. Something not lost on him as he turns his gaze her way. I'm not sure she did it to save her lover from Dad's wrath or if she's finally come to accept him. Either way, the title distracts him enough to ignore Reaper for the time being.

He sniffs before clearing his throat to hide his emotions at Rae finally calling himDad.I shuffle on the mattress, giving him room to come closer. "Are you . . . okay?" he asks.

She nods. "I'm okay."

No one says a word for several beats until Raven finally speaks again. "Thank you," she tells our dad. "For getting me out. For ending this." She looks around the room before adding, "Thank you all for saving me."

Her eyes land on Mason. "And for keeping my sister safe."

He nods back at her. His silent vow to continue doing so from here on out. My throat feels tight again as I fight back the waterworks. I'm not the only one battling my emotions, though—Dad's face twitches as he clears his throat again. He steps closer, taking one of Raven's hands in his. He gives it a gentle squeeze as he sits down next to her. No one says a word as he studies the marks on her skin.

After what seems like an eternity, Dad tells her quietly, "I'm so sorry, Raven. For everything."

My sister nods as her eyes grow misty. "I know . . . I know." Her free hand covers his as everyone in the room holds their breath. For a long while, they stay like that, saying nothing as the rest of us watch in awe.

I can tell this is too much for him. The fear of almost losing her took its toll, and now he's grasping at straws to keep it together. He stands from the bed, still holding her hands in his as his emotions grow too heavy. He drops her hands as he goes to leave but stops himself, turning to face Raven again. Hesitating for a moment, he bends to place a kiss on the top of her head.

No one in the room moves a muscle as the sweet moment plays out. We're all a bit stunned as the ruthless MC president lets down his guard for his eldest daughter. I doubt any of the men here have ever seen him so soft.

As quickly as it happens, the moment is over, and Dad excuses himself from the room, fighting a losing battle with his emotions. He won't break down in front of his crew, so he's leaving before the floodgates open. He's seen for himself that she's okay, and now he needs time to process.

He casts one last warning gaze to his enforcer as he heads for the door. Hammer leaves behind him, closing the door as he goes, leaving the rest of us the grapple with what happened.

"Hey," Raven says, nudging my side, pulling me from my stunned stupor. "Do you have some spare clothes I can borrow? I want to shower."

"Yeah, of course. Do you need help getting cleaned up?"

She shakes her head. "No. I'll be fine."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Mason comes with me to grab fresh clothes and track down a clean set of sheets for Rae. When we get back, Jesse is waiting outside the room. "Figured I'd give them some privacy," he says as we approach.

My cheeks heat at his implication. I knock loudly on the door, waiting for Rae to respond this time before entering. She does, thanking me for the clothes and sheets.

When I go to help her stand, she wobbles on her feet. "Are you sure you don't want help in the shower?" I ask, worried she might fall and hit her head if she tries to bathe on her own.

She shakes her head. "No, it's okay, Nix. I'll be fine."

I start to argue when a large pair of hands encircle my sister's waist, keeping her steady.That's why she won't need my help.My blush spreads as I take in Rae and Reaper's body language. She leans into him, melting into his side as his arms cradle her protectively. It never occurred to me that someone as big and intimidating as Reaper could be so gentle, but he is for Rae.

Clearing my throat, I let him help her to the bathroom while Mason and I change the bedding. "Jesse's outside," I call after them. "We'll come back after a while to check on you."

Rae's response is muffled through the bathroom door. I hear the shower kick on and move quickly with the sheets, wanting to give the two of them as much privacy as possible.

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