Page 105 of The Scandal You Started
“Attachment issues,” Declan added. “That’s what the youngsters call it. A fear of heartbreak and feeling out of control again is what I’d call it.” The man shrugged. “There are likely other reasons why she’s so against marriage, though. These kids see the good and the bad of so much on all these different social media apps, and she’s come to the conclusion that the bad outweighs the good. Then there are the things she’s likely heard from Studies, and the men she’s spoken to herself.
“Of course, I don’t blame her. So many of them are shameless, and women have had to deal with so much for hundreds of years. There’s bound to be some resentment as a result. But all of that combined is why you can’t change her opinion. Everything has solidified what she already knew about relationships.”
If Declan’s speech was meant to boost Dominic’s morale…it hadn’t worked. If anything, he felt so much more hopeless and helpless that his chest ached.
“However,” Declan said, and Dominic perked right up. “You can be the anomaly. You can show her you’re the exception to what she believes.” Declan smiled. “The fact you’re a Study andyet she’s still chosen to lower her guard around you tells me you’re already halfway there.”
Dominic’s heart swelled, feeling too full to contain behind his rib cage.
“But besides her feelings, you’re facing an impossible task, Dominic.”
“I know,” he admitted. “But I am willing to fight for her until my dying breath.”
After a moment of probing silence, Declan Griffin stood tall and offered out his hand. “However Winnie and I can help, we will.” The man then smirked. “Only find out first if our Rayna loves you enough to marry you or not.”
Chapter 32
Rayna
Rayna glanced up from her phone and across her shoulder when a quiet knock sounded at her open bedroom door.
Dominic peeked half out from behind it like a hesitant child.
A confused frown bunched her brows. Why on Neves was he knocking as if he were a stranger?
He shuffled a little further into the room. “May I come in?”
She arched an amused brow. “Since when have you ever asked?”
“Well, I…” He cleared his throat. “I wasn’t certain if you would like…” His cheeks pinkened as his mouth silently searched for words. “That is to say, women from my time prefer to have their own space when they are on their…courses.” He waved one hand around, quick and muddled. “At least, the women I am familiar with. Of my family, I mean to say. So I thought perhaps you might…wish for the same.”
Ah. So that was what was up.
Dominic was hesitating because her period had started.
He’d been just as awkward, stupefied, and cautiously curious that morning when she’d told him she’d started bleeding. Being from the time and environment that he was, he’d fumbled around the topic, trying to ask her about it without directly asking anything. She’d laughed, but she’d answered his questions and been honest about her discomfort.
She wanted to tease him again and tell him women from his time were likely forced to hide for the sake of protecting the delicate sensibilities of men such as himself. But his genuine uncertainty tugged at nameless strings inside her that cooed endearingly, so she took pity on him instead.
“Turn the light off and get in,” she said, nodding to his side of the bed.
His mouth lifted, small and sweet, before he slunk the rest of the way in.
Dominic shut the door behind him and switched the light off, but Rayna had already turned the lamp on in wait of him, so the room stayed mostly illuminated.
She placed her phone on the bedside cabinet closest to her and adjusted her pillow as he climbed under the thin blanket and lay down. He stayed in the middle of his pillow rather thanimmediately moving onto hers but placed his hand over her own.
“Are you still in pain?” he asked.
“A little achy, but I wouldn’t call it pain, no.”
Her answer put a troubled frown on his face. “Did you take any more medication?”
“It’s not that kind of pain. It’s just muscle ache in my lower back and legs.”
He swallowed as his gaze slipped to where the blanket was bunched around her waist. “Would it help if I were to massage you?” he said after a while.
“I’ll be fine once I sleep.”
