Page 133 of Redeemed

“No.” It takes everything in me not to reach for her.

“Please don’t let him hurt me again,” she says quietly. “Please, Lucas.”

It’s not something I can promise. I’ll fucking kill him if Colton ever tries to torture information out of Haven again, but I can’t control him.

“Lucas.” She reaches for me, and her fingers curl into my shirt. “P-please.”

“If he hurts you like that again, he’s dead.”

That doesn’t seem to ease her worries. She’s panting again, and her eyes are darting around the room like she’s trying to find something she can use to defend herself with. When the bedroom door opens, she lets out a terrified cry and jumps out of bed.

Xander freezes in the doorway. He has a glass of water in one hand and a pill in the other. “Haven, it’s just me. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

“Can’t stay.” She’s backed herself into the far corner, her eyes wide.

“Haven,” I say gently. “We’re gonna keep you safe, okay?”

She shakes her head.

“Hey.” Cautiously, Xander approaches Haven, keeping his movements slow and careful to not spook her. “Luc and I just want to help you feel better. Do you want that?”

“N-no.”

“You don’t want to feel calm? Feel safe?”

More tears flood her eyes, and her bottom lip trembles.

Xander is almost to her by this point. He’s keeping his voice so soft and gentle. “I hate seeing you like this, doll. Let me help you. Just take this.” He holds out the pill.

“What is it?”

“Just something to help you calm down. I promise it won’t hurt you.”

“What about Colton?”

“He’s downstairs. We’re not gonna let him touch you.”

Haven eyes the pill. I can see how much she’s tempted, but her fear is holding her back. She knows she can’t trust us, and she’s right.

“What Colton did was wrong,” Xander says. “Luc and I weren’t on board with it. We didn’t know he was going to do it, and we won’t let it happen again.”

That’s an empty promise, and Xander knows it. If Haven was in a better state, she’d know that too, but instead she nods and takes the pill. She swallows it down with a gulp of water before shakily handing the glass back to Xan.

“Good,” he says soothingly. “That was good. Now go back to bed.”

She hesitates, but when Xander gently wraps his arm around her shoulders and guides her to our bed, she lets him.

I lift up the blankets for her, and she crawls in until she’s right up against me. Xander gets into bed as well.

“You won’t trap me?” she asks.

Xander and I exchange a silent glance before he says, “No.”

I’m not sure if it’s the truth.

“And you—you promise you won’t let Colton in?”

“Promise, little fawn.” I brush my lips across her forehead. “Now let yourself relax.”

---