Page 69 of Beyond Repair: Part Two

Chapter 44

Kai

Iswear I've been holding my breath for three fucking days. Meg might be the only one actually capable of relaxing. She and Nina are freaking us out a little.

They're both quiet but otherwise seem fine. I'm not dumb enough to think Nina is truly okay; I'm just prepared for when it all hits her.

I mean, for Christ’s sake, she was kidnappedagainless than seventy-two hours ago. In no way, shape, or form doIfeel settled, let alone do I think Nina should be this relaxed.

Yet, there she is, painting her toenails on the floor with her mom. Their favorite vampire show flashes quietly in the background while they just chill in relative peace.

"Shouldn't she be crying?" I ponder out loud, already feeling like shit for saying it.

Trevor glares at me. "Shouldn't you be thankful sheisn'tcrying?"

I sigh and turn back around so I'm facing the rest of the guys at the dinner table. Nina wasn't hungry, so Meg went to keepher company with bright red polish on their cream-colored rug. Shaking my head, I look to my fiancé for some backup.

Henry nods, eyeing the women too. "Kai has a point."Thank you."If she doesn't let it out soon, then it'll be a bigger meltdown later."

"I'm worried too," Ridge adds, sounding thoughtful and sad all at once. "What if she regresses?"

"Like how?" Trevor sits up straight, finally registering the possible severity of the situation. The thing about my friend is he's so in tune with taking care of others in the moment that I think he's just been focusing on making sure sheisn'tcrying.

Crying means processing though. I'm scared she's burying her trauma and with how much Nina has, that really isn't a good thing.

"Like when she was living with us, ignoring the world and just existing," Will explains with a shit ton of guilt wrapped around his words.

This man is always such a rock for everyone, now maybe he needs us to be one for him too. I bump my arm into his. "Will, none of what happened is your fault."

His lips twist, then he rubs his mouth as if wiping away some painful emotion. "Maybe not completely, but I'll always believe I could have done more when she was found."

"I think," Ridge chimes in, "with Neen being afraid of men, you did a damn good job."

Will thinks about that for a moment and eventually nods. "Thank you." Then he frowns and looks each of us in the eye. "Thank all of you boys for taking care of my daughter."

"Always," we promise in unison, hammering home the absolute devotion we have for Nina.

"Shhh!" Meg disrupts our bonding time with a frantic wave. "He's professing his love!"

Henry cranes his neck to look at the TV which almost makes me roll my eyes, then he says, "That's the sixth time he does that, Meg. The outcome won't change. He's too bad for her, remember?"

Meg doesn't even glance at Henry. "Which makes it soooooo good."

Nina snorts, making my heart thump an extra beat. When she agrees with her mom and starts chattering away about hunky vampire men who kill people all the time buttotallydeserve an epic love, I'm entranced.

I move slowly toward the couch, so as not to disrupt their conversation about accents and standards. Seated now, I watch and listen to my girl enjoy her time with Meg.

I'll be here to catch you when you fall, flora.

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