Page 26 of Savage Knights (Princes of Devil's Creek 3)

She stretched out her fingers to touch his hand. “I think you’ll be a great dad, Bash.”

Damian didn’t speak, barely even breathed, as Alex looked at him. He was terrified of having a child and never even considered being a father.

“You too, Damian,” she muttered. “Once you get over your fear, it will come naturally to you.”

I knew at some point we’d have kids because of the deal with The Founders Society. But my anxiety over having a child running around the mansion didn’t even compare to Damian’s.

One of Dante’s men appeared behind me with plates of food for Alex. He set the dishes on the table beside me and walked out of the room without a word.

“You need to eat.” I fisted the burger and held it in front of her mouth. “Open up, Drea.”

She licked her lips, and then bit into the burger like a good girl.

It was all a dream. That was what I told myself repeatedly, hoping I would believe the lie. After the events of the past two days, I was numb. Dead on the inside, trapped inside an alternate version of reality.

I stared at the wall as Pops examined my face. Something had snapped inside me after I got onto the Lucianos yacht and saw the blood soaking through Aiden’s jacket and shirt.

Lorenzo shot him.

My mind drifted back to the dark closet and the feeling of the walls closing in on me. The never-ending silence. Then my screams, Aiden banging on the wall. My mother’s laughter.

She kidnapped me.

As if she hadn’t already done enough damage to my life, she had to sell me to a man who wanted revenge. At least she got what was coming to her. He would make sure she suffered at his hands.

“Aiden,” I whispered.

Luca waved his hand in front of my face.

“Aiden,” I said again.

“What’s wrong with her?” Luca asked Pops.

My grandfather’s nose scrunched as he swiped a curl off my forehead. “Alex is in shock. This is normal for what she’s been through. Give her time to readjust to her surroundings.”

Luca shoved a hand through his dark hair and tugged at the ends. “Will she go back to normal?”

Pops glared at him. “She’s never had a normal life. Not with her parents, and certainly not with you and your brothers.”

“You know what I mean,” Luca shot back. “Will she go back to the way she was before the kidnapping?”

My grandfather’s eyes narrowed. “Years ago, she slipped into a dissociative state that lasted for three weeks. She thought she was twelve years old and still living with her parents.”

“Yeah.” Luca sighed. “That was my fault, too.”

After the night The Serpents chase me through Beacon Bay, I had nightmares for years.

Pops sneered at him. “You better take care of Alex. Her situation is delicate.”

“Of course.” Luca blew out a deep breath. “I just…”

“Alex will never be normal. She’s gone through too much trauma in her life to bounce back from this as if nothing happened. If Alex’s mental illness is too much for you,” Pops said in a menacing tone, “maybe you should let her go. Marcello knows how to handle her better than you.”

They spoke as if I were not in the room with them. Sure, I was in shock, but I could process their words. Though, speaking seemed to be a whole different skill set I didn’t possess at the moment.

Did they drug me?

My head felt funny, like I was floating above my body but still aware of everything around me. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out. I couldn’t even form the words to say them aloud.

---