Page 26 of Beautiful Beasts

She tightens her grip on my hand, and I take another deep breath as I toe off my shoes and climb into bed next to her. I lean against the headboard, and she quickly closes the distance between us, laying her arm across my stomach. She snuggles into my side, and I wrap my arm tightly around her, bringing her even closer to me.

I lean down and rest my chin on the top of her head as she calms down. “What happened?” I ask concerned.

She doesn’t say anything as she sniffles and wipes the tears from her face. I hate fucking not knowing what is wrong with her, and I can’t fix it if I don’t know what is happening.

I want her to let me in, but that means I need to let her in, and I don’t think I am ready for that. I can say for sure that she is not prepared for me to let her in either, so because I can’t do what I want to ask of her, I will remain quiet. She curls her arm around me tighter, and it’s not long before her breathing evens out, and she falls asleep in my arms. This is new for me; I have never done anything like this before for anyone.

But she is different. Of course, she fucking is.

Dante and I are fucking screwed.

I hear the floor creak as someone walks into my room. My eyes shoot open, and I turn my head. Fuck I must have fallen asleep. I grab my gun and tighten my grip around Bella as my eyes adjust to the darkness. I couldn’t have been out for that long if it was still fucking dark, and I could tell by Bella’s breathing she was still asleep.

My eyes adjust and lock onto Dante. He kneels beside me, and his eyes land on Bella. I put my piece back in the holster on the side of my nightstand.

“Fuck, man,” I growl.

He gives me a knowing look. “What happened?” He whispers in a concerned voice.

“I don’t know. I found her crying on the kitchen floor,” I say with concern and rage.

He takes a deep breath, lifts his eyes from her, and looks into mine. “Thank you for watching over her.”

My heart races as the words leave my mouth. “I didn’t do it for you,” I say quietly. I am telling him the truth. I can’t lie to him; it is not in me to do so.

“I know,” he says calmly.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” I confess.

“I know that too, Harley,” he says confidently.

I remain quiet as he continues to look into my eyes. Expecting to see rage and hurt in his eyes, I only find worry and desire.

He tilts his head to the side as he looks back at Bella. “I can’t blame you for falling for her,” he says calmly.

I don’t say anything because, honestly, I don’t know what to say to him.

“You give her something I can’t, Harley,” he confesses, taking me by surprise.

I have known Dante for as long as I can remember, and I have never had him open up to me like he is right now. “What is that?” I ask.

His eyes come back to me. “Gentleness,” he whispers. His voice breaks with one word.

I would never think Dante would describe me as gentle in a million years, but he isn’t wrong. I have changed since Bella came into our home, but so has Dante.

“She loves you, Dante,” I whisper, trying my best to reassure him.

He nods. “I know, but I also know she loves you, too.”

He takes a deep breath and slowly stands up. “I have been watching the cameras, watching you watch her. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together,” he says with amusement and acceptance.

I gently lay Bella down and stand up, stopping beside my brother, the man I would die for in a heartbeat. “Where do we go from here?” I ask.

“We earn her love,” he says softly as he moves over to her and gently takes her into his arms, her head resting against his chest.

I nod and watch Dante take Bella out of my room. I sit on the edge of my bed and run my hands through my hair. My heart is beating out of my chest; of all the reactions I expected, that wasn’t one of them. But what he said resonates with me.

Earn her love.

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