Page 85 of Little Dove

I start to sob. I lift my knees out of the water and curl forward to press my face to them as all the emotions pour out of me. The anger, the despair, the hope, the fear. I hear someone quietly murmuring, and then I feel Sienna and Rori’s hands pull away. My head shoots up, and I watch through tears as Sofia, in only her bra and underwear, climbs into the tub with me. Water sloshes as she firmly pushes at my knees to lower, and then she reaches forward and pulls me into her, wrapping her arms around me.

She holds me and rocks me as I cry. I turn my face into her shoulder, clinging to her desperately. She cradles me silently until the sobs start to subside. “I’m?—”

“Hush,” Sofia orders, making me clamp my mouth shut in surprise. Her eyes are dark, tumultuous, as she stares into mine, and her expression is unyielding. “There will be no more apologies, Amara. Ever. You have nothing to apologize for, do you understand?” I slowly nod, unsure of what else to do. “Good. I understand the anger you feel, the desperation to silence the ghosts in your mind. You have the strength to push them back and the ability to rip that power from them. And you have us, and our family, to hold you up when you need it, to offer a hand when you feel like you’re drowning. And by family, I mean everyone here, my family, and the Carusos. All of us. Okay?” I nod again, unable to say a word. “Good.” She presses a kiss to my forehead and hugs me tight again.

After another moment, I pull away and move back to the other side of the tub. “Thank you, all of you.” I look at them all. Each of them have shed tears with me, but they’re smiling as they wipe them away. “Being with Lazaro yesterday was my idea, not his. He resisted a lot. He wanted to take things slow but I didn’t. Eventually I convinced him, and well, you know whathappened next. And then we did it again in the salon after you all left.” I can’t help but smirk at that.

“I think we all figured that out when we saw the hickeys on your neck,” Sienna teases lightly. “Girl, I had no idea Lazaro was a vampire.” Then she winks. “But it’s hot, isn’t it?”

I blush. “I’m not used to how swollen and sore I am this morning,” I admit. “And I was kind of freaking out. Not to mention, worrying I’m still, you know, leaking, all over the place.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s always fun,” Sofia laughs. Then she gives me a wicked grin as she leans against the other side of the tub. “If you ask me, it’s just a sign you were having a damn good time. Though, I agree that for your first time, it might have been a bit much.”

“Speaking of the mess though, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I take that to mean you’re not on any kind of birth control or anything?” Rori asks carefully.

I freeze. Oh shit. Oh fucking shit. “No,” I whisper, horrified and trying to count in my head. “I never even thought about it. I…before, they always wore protection other than that final time, so I never had to think about it. And, well, I wasn’t thinking about it. I was too drugged out to worry about any of this.”

“Don’t panic,” Sofia says firmly. “I’ll put out a call and we’ll get you something. Is there any chance you could be in the right window to get pregnant?”

“I don’t think so,” I say carefully. “I should be getting my period any day now, but yeah, I need to get on something. There is no way that I can have a baby right now.”

“Leave it to me and I’ll get it sorted,” Sofia reassures me.

I relax. “Thank you.”

“As for the rest of it,” Sienna says, drawing my attention. “You’re going to be sore for a few days, but it will pass. It’s normal. As you and Lazaro spend time together, things willease up, but for the first few times, it’s going to be a bit uncomfortable.”

“Drink lots of water,” Gia adds with a wry smile. “I learned that too. I was a virgin before Nico, and even when he was trying to be gentle, it still left me sore. Water helps.”

“You might also benefit from some exercise and light strength training,” Rori chips in. “It will help with stamina and endurance and make you a bit more flexible, which helps, trust me.”

“She says that from experience,” Sienna quips. “The girl had a whole weekend marathon with one guy in college, and she didn’t walk right for two weeks. Or at least she bitched and moaned about it for that long.” She laughs when Rori shoves her off the edge of the tub, making her stumble to her feet.

“Like you didn’t have that weekend with the guy from your art class that time,” Rori scoffs. “He was a nerd, but boy did he have you screaming. Or have you forgotten that time security was called to make sure you were still alive, and he had you suspended while he did wicked things to you?”

Sienna’s face flushes, and she glares at Rori. “You were the one who called them,” she growls at her. “All because you thought it would be funny. Do you know how much trouble we almost got in? He never talked to me again after that, and he transferred schools like a week later because he was so embarrassed.”

“He changed his major to business, and now he runs a successful sex club,” Rori snickers. “Or was it not you who got an invitation to visit it a few years ago so he could thank you in person?”

“Y-You went to a sex club?” Gia stammers out. “Oh my God. And did you guys, ah, rekindle for old times sake?”

Sienna grins wickedly. “Well, he did invite me.”

“Lucky bitch,” Sofia laughs. “Have you told Alessio he’s going to have to step up his game?”

Sienna winces. “No, we haven’t gotten into past relationships and situationships. Mostly because I know if I tell him any of that, he’ll probably kill the guy, and I don’t want that on my conscience.” Then she glares at Rori. “So we’re not going to tell him, are we, Aurora?”

“Oooh, using my full name,” Rori jokes. “Lucky for you, I have no interest in seeing the man die, so I won’t say anything. But piss me off enough in the future…” She grins evilly. Sienna rolls her eyes, but she must not be worried about it because she simply turns back to me and says, “All of this to say, it gets better and easier.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” I say with a smile. “I’m already feeling better from the heat of the water, so I guess I’ll be taking lots of baths.” I glance around the bathroom. “That won’t be a hardship.”

We all grin at each other until Sofia stands up, water and bubbles sluicing off her and her black bra and underwear. She grins at me. “I’ll need to borrow some of your clothes, darling, or I’m going to be walking out of here naked. Though I’m not sure if anything you have will fit me.”

“I have something,” Rori offers. “We’re closer in size, though your boobs are bigger. Dry off and I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll hop in the shower quickly, then we’ll get out and let Amara get dressed,” Sofia agrees, looking at me questioningly. “Good. Then, we’re going to your salon, and I want you to have a look at this mop.” She points at her hair that’s also a bit damp from the pieces that fell out of her style and got wet from the bath. “I need it thinned out a little, and a fresh style.”

I smile. “I can do that. But I don’t think I can wash your hair yet.”

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