Page 101 of Riot

The sobs come faster, each one scraped open like a jagged wound, raw and agonising. I want to touch her, to hold her together, but I’m terrified it’ll push her over whatever edge she’s teetering on.

“Vee…” My voice is hoarse, unsteady.

Seren whimpers, picking up on her mother’s emotions, and I trail my fingers over her soft head, soothing.

“I can’t… I can’t do this.” Her voice is wrecked, the words slipping out between ragged sobs. “It’s too much, Nate.”

Fuck.She’s never called me that before.

Always Riot.

She’s killing me. Forget caution. Forget patience. And fuck waiting. I wrap my arms around her and our girl—our daughter, because Seren is mine even if Ivy never wants to see me again—and I hold her as she shatters against me.

Her body shakes violently, her foundations crumbling as she finally loses the strength to keep up the pretence.

“It’s okay, baby,” I murmur against her ear. “I’m here.”

She chokes on each sob. She doesn’t hold back or try to stop it and just lets go of everything. This is the cruellest fucking torture. I don’t know how to fix this, so I do the only thing I can—I hold her while she opens the floodgates.

Her past and present collide in a sea of trauma. Grief, exhaustion, and fear, it all pours out of her until she’s empty. I rub slow circles on her back as she drowns in it.

“I’ve got you,” I say, kissing her temple, giving her an anchor to come back to us.

I’m not going anywhere, baby.

I don’t know how long we stay like this, but eventually, her exhaustion wins and her sobs fade until she’s empty and drained.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers brokenly.

“You have nothin’ to be sorry for.”

Her watery gaze lifts to mine. “I’m a mess.”

I press a kiss to her mouth, tasting the salt of her tears. “You’re human, Ivy, and the strongest fuckin’ person I know.”

She sniffles, shaking her head. “I’m not strong. I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“I’m tired.” She speaks so soft, I can barely hear her. “So tired.”

I pull her closer, tighter, fracturing around the edges myself. “I know, baby.”

I give her a moment, then I stand, taking Seren from her. The fact she doesn’t stop me tells me that although I broke her trust, it’s still there between us.

Carefully, I lay Seren in the travel cot, settling her before I go back to Ivy.

Without asking, I scoop her into my arms and carry her into the bathroom. She clings to my neck like I’m a rope tossed into choppy waters, and when I set her on the tile, she grips my biceps.

Every part of me is shattering seeing her like this. I would take all her pain if I could.

“What are you doing?” she asks, peering up at me through red-rimmed eyes.

“I’m takin’ care of you, darlin’.”

I strip her out of her clothes, slowly, carefully, until she’s standing in just her underwear. If I was any kind of gentleman, I’d give her privacy, but this ain’t about nudity or sex. This is about so much more.

Even so, I pause. My gaze flicks to hers before I reach for her bra. She doesn’t stop me, so I unhook it. She lowers her arms, letting it slide down her body, exposing her soft curves and skin.

---