It surprised me to hear how much he was thinking about us and our situation, willing to work out the fine details that would otherwise seem unnecessary. He did it without being asked, and something about it softened me ever so slightly.
I didn’t want to give him too much credit, but I still appreciated the thought.
Nodding, too tired to form a proper response, I followed him to the spare bedroom.
Flicking on the lights, he took a step back and allowed me to get a good look at the place. “The bed should be more than big enough for you two, and there’s a bathroom just down the hall.”
I couldn’t decide if it was just the exhaustion coming through, but the way he spoke seemed so kind. Tender, even.
He wasn’t obligated to help us, but seeing him offer us a room and a place in his home made me feel more touched than I wanted to admit.
Standing in the bedroom with Margo pressed against me, feeling heavier by the second, I met Beau’s gaze and felt something in me tremble. The resistance I put up against him the moment he rejected me and left to pursue his life elsewhere.
Through his kindness in words and deeds, I could feel the foundation of that stubbornness shaking ever so slightly.
We locked eyes for a moment, and regardless of the slight iciness between us, made awkward by the time spent apart, I couldn’t help but notice the faint tension that seemed to thicken the air a bit.
As much as I wanted to look away, I just couldn’t.
I had always thought he was one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen, and at one time, I was more than surprised to call him mine. It always shocked me to know he wanted me once, even if it didn’t end how I expected it to.
Even then, there was no denying how gorgeous he was. I’d be crazy to claim the opposite.
“I meant what I said before,” Beau reassured me, gaze softening slightly. “You two are safe here…regardless of whomight be after you, I’ll make sure nothing happens. You have my word on that.”
The promise was reassuring regardless of what I thought, and I found myself nodding. “…thank you.”
Those words shouldn’t have felt like pulling teeth to say, but the part of me that seemed so unwilling to let go of what happened was refusing to back down. Even if it happened years ago, it wasn’t something I could simply forget about as much as I wanted to. As much as it would make everything so much easier.
Regardless, Beau nodded in return, then reached for the doorknob and stepped out. Before he could leave, however, a thought moved through his eyes. “By the way, did you need anything to eat? Drink?”
Regardless of how small it seemed, something about the genuine sincerity in the gesture made my heart squeeze.
As much as I didn’t want to impose, I couldn’t ignore the lingering ache of my empty stomach. The thought of finally eating something was too good to pass up.
“Yes, actually…if you don’t mind. I packed some things for Margo but nothing for myself. We didn’t have the room.”
With a small frown at the notion, Beau nodded. “Sure thing. I’m assuming you’ll want to get cleaned up, so I’ll make something and leave it here for you.”
I hated feeling like a burden, as if I needed someone to take care of me, but at the moment, being as worn out as I was, it wasn’t so difficult to accept that help. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Don’t mention it.”
With a final look, Beau gently closed the door, and I heard his quiet steps receding down the hall.
Finally, with Margo still asleep in my arms, I let go of a deep breath and closed my eyes. For a moment, I could only stand there, wondering how I landed myself in this position.
In the span of a few hours, I defected from my pack, ran from my alpha, found my ex and the father of my child, and ended up in his house. It was all so much more than I imagined for myself, but at the end of it all, it was the hand I was dealt, and I could only navigate it the best I could.
Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I went over to the bed and carefully placed Margo down before pulling the covers up and tucking her in for the night.
Standing by her side, I smoothed some of the dark locks from her face carefully enough not to wake her, and a faint smile settled on my lips.
Watching her sleep peacefully, knowing she was safe and sound, was enough to soothe my nerves again. It was all I needed and wanted. So long as she was content and unaware of how tumultuous our situation was, I was doing my job well enough.
She was my entire world, and nothing else seemed to matter as long as she was safe and in my care.
Although, taking in her features after seeing Beau again brought me a bitter-sweet feeling. To me, there was no denying the resemblance. She carried so many of his physical traits that sometimes, even just looking at her would hit me with that faint ache Beau had left behind.